S< iH 



VEGETABLE 



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EARNING AND LEARNING 




VEGETABLE GEOWING PROJECTS 



MAOMILLAN AaKIOULTURAL PEOJEOT SERIES 

EDITED BY 

RUFUS W. STIMSON 

Supervisor of Vocational Agricultural Education in Massachusetts 

VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION 
By RuFus W. Stimson 

VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 
By Ralph L. Watts 

DAIRY FARMING PROJECTS 
By C. E. Ladd 

Other books in preparation 

Farming For Combining Study 

Rule-Books Earning and Learning Guide-Books 



VEGETABLE GROWIJN^G 
PROJECTS 



BY 
RALPH l/wATTS 

Dean and Director of the School of Agriculture and Experiment 

Station of The Pennsylvania State College, and author 

of Vegetable Gardening, Vegetable Forcing, 

and The Vegetable Garden 



THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 
1922 

All rights reserved 



PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 



^^.S- 



Copyright, 1922, 
By the M ACM ill an COMPANY. 



Set up and electrotyped. Published April, 1922. 



APR 1 2 1922 



Nottoooti ^ttS0 

J. S. Cashing Co. — Berwick & Smith Co. 

Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. 






EDITOR'S PREFACE 

This is a handbook for progressive vegetable growers. 

It is a rehable and up-to-date rule-book for both home gardening 
and market gardening. It springs from Pennsylvania, a state great 
in gardening owing to nearness to big cities and their markets ; and 
Dean Watts, its author, is an experienced and widely recognized 
authority in these fields. 

It is, also, a guidebook for studying vegetable growing thor- 
oughly from all angles, — practical and technical, managerial and 
scientific. It applies principles set forth in Vocational Agricultural 
Education, the first book of this '* Project Series." By its open 
spacing, it offers a convenient framework for listhig local problems, 
questions, and plans. This open spacing should assist in keeping 
help and self-help of the learner in desirable balance. It should 
make the learner at once critical and self-reliant. 

The open-spaced '* Calendar " of activities, in particular, should 
lighten the labors of effective planning for both gardener and 
teacher. The author, in his "Explanations and Suggestions," has 
not overstated the importance of the reciprocally beneficial pro- 
cesses of doing as an aid to learning, and of learning as an aid to doing ; 
iior, of choice of the proposed project at the outset, in order that 
every move may be made to count toward its successful outcome 
as an enterprise that is to be both productive and educational. The 
" Calendar " outlines summer study under field conditions, as 
well as study during the usual school year. 

A set of supplementary loose-leaf guide sheets, for gardening 
field trips, and surveys, group practicums and individual assign- 
ments, laboratory activities, accounting and business forms, has 



Vi EDITOR'S PREFACE 

been prepared by Director G. H. Gilbert of Bristol County Agricul- 
tural School, Segreganset, Massachusetts. It is the outgrowth 
of experience at an excellent school that distributes instruction 
over projects carried on with the aid of pupils by the school itself, 
projects owned and carried on by selected pupils at the school, 
supervised agricultural work of pupils on projects of other approved 
farms, and home projects. This should be an aid to valuable note- 
book work the year around. 

This handbook, and its supporting loose-leaf guides, are in- 
tended primarily for pupils in vocational agricultural classes of 
high schools and of separate, county, district, and state schools 
that are benefiting from federal funds under the so-called Smith- 
Hughes Act. 

The serious questions and problems, practicums, and individual 
guidance involved may well be given careful attention by students 
in agricultural teacher-training classes, for there is no greater 
need in agricultural education than that of preparing would-be 
instructors for their prospective duties in detail. 

There can be no doubt that vocational agricultural pupils of 
good ability who cover the ground indicated by this handbook 
should have no difficulty, w^hile preparing first for pleasant and 
profitable gardening, in earning, at the same time, at least one unit 
of credit toward entrance into a degree course at any state agri- 
cultural college. 

RuFUS W. Stimson. 

January 1, 1922. 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Explanations and Suggestions . . " . . . • . . xi 

Reference Key ........ ^ . • xvii 

List of Illustrations . . xxi 

Acknowledgments xxiii 

CHAPTER ONE 
Vegetable Growing Project Calendar or Seasonal Program . 1 



CHAPTER TWO 

SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 

Tomato, Eggplant, and Pepper 37 

Project I : Growing Tomatoes 37 

Project II : Growing Eggplant 77 

Project III : Growing Peppers 83 

CHAPTER THREE 

COLE CROP PROJECTS 

Cabbage, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Collard, Broccoli . 88 

Project IV : Growing Cabbage 88 

Project V : Growing Cauliflower 110 

CHAPTER FOUR 

SALAD CROP PROJECTS 

Celery, Lettuce, Parsley, Endive, Corn Salad, Cress . . .118 

Project VI: Growing Celery . 118 

Project VII : Growing Lettuce 140 

vii 



VIU CONTENTS 

CHAPTER FIVE 
VINE CROP PROJECTS 

PAGE 

Cucumber, Muskmelon, Watermelon, Squash, Pumpkin . . 151 

Project VIII : Growing Cucumbers ....... 151 

Project IX : Growing Muskmelons 164 

Project X : Growing Watermelons ....... 170 

Project XI : Growing Squashes 173 

CHAPTER SIX 
ROOT CROP PROJECTS 
Project XII : Growing Root Crops 180 

CHAPTER SEVEN 

TUBER CROP PROJECTS 

Project XIII : Growing Potatoes .... . . 200 

Project XIV : Growing Sweet Potatoes 220 

CHAPTER EIGHT 

BULB CROP PROJECTS 

Onion, Cive, Leek, Garlic, Shallot ^ 228 

Project XV : Growing Onions 228 

CHAPTER NINE 

PULSE CROP PROJECTS 

Bean, Pea 247 

Project XVI : Growing Beans 247 

Project XVII : Growing Peas 259 

CHAPTER TEN 

PERENNIAL VEGETABLE PROJECTS 

Asparagus, Rhubarb, Jerusalem Artichoke, Globe Artichoke . 267 
Project XVIII : Growing Asparagus ....... 267 

Project XIX: Growing Rhubarb 278 



CONTENTS ix 

CHAPTER ELEVEN 
SWEET CORN PROJECT 

PAGE 

Project XX : Growing Sweet Corn 283 

CHAPTER TWELVE 
HOME GARDEN PROJECTS 
Project XXI : Making the Home Garden 293 



EXPLANATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 

Program of work. — The project method of teaching requires a 
definite program for the year's work. There should be a thorough 
understanding and agreement between the pupil and the instructor 
of the work to be undertaken. To this understanding and agree- 
ment the parent, guardian, or employer should be a cooperating 
party. A decision must be reached at the beginning of the school 
year regarding the projects to be carried through, and the major 
features in the program of work should be decided upon as soon as 
possible thereafter. No one program is suitable for all schools or 
for all individuals within a given school. Each pupil should pre- 
pare a program of work that will be of maximum benefit to himself 
in the acquirement of skill in, and of knowledge relating to, prac- 
tical gardening. The skeleton program or " Calendar " in Chapter 
One should be of help in his program making. This is decidedly a 
*' doing " book. Gaining the most helpful information about veg- 
etable growing wull depend upon the actual performance of real 
operations with real purpose. 

Selection of projects. — The selection of projects is the first and 
fundamental step in making up a program of work. The minor 
features of the program cannot be determined until this question 
has been settled. Should each pupil have one or more projects? 
Should he select Project XXI, Making the Home Garden, with 
the sole purpose of supplying the home table ? Should he conduct 
one or more projects for commercial purposes? Or, should he 
combine a model home garden with one or more cash crop 
projects ? 

If markets are available, we would urge the undertaking of 
one or more projects as a business proposition, with the idea of 

xi 



Xll EXPLANATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 

making the greatest possible profit. Such a motive will be a con- 
stant incentive. It will stimulate interest and thoroughness. 
Ordinarily, it is best not to undertake more than two or three cash 
crop projects, though there are exceptions. If the market is very 
limited, then it may be desirable to grow a diversity of crops, but a 
large number of crops or projects increases the economic risks and 
the difficulty of the work. It is preferable to master thoroughly 
the culture of a few crops together with the essentials of advertis- 
ing, marketing, and accounting. 

The business projects to be chosen should be determined by the 
personal preferences of the pupils and their parents, by the markets 
available, by the adaptation of soil and climate to the crops under 
consideration, by the equipment, and by the area of land that can 
be used. 

If possible. Project I, Growing Tomatoes, should be chosen, 
because of the varied uses and demands for the product and be- 
cause the questions following each sectional discussion relate to the 
science of tillage, hardening plants, combating insects, etc., as well 
as to the practical phases of each operation. Project I might 
be considered, for study and practice purposes, as the basic project 
of this text. All other projects contain frequent references to this 
project. An excellent plan in choosing cash crops would be to select 
Project I and one or more other projects that are desirable. 

Project XXI, Making the Home Garden, should appeal to 
many students who do not have the advantage of good markets or 
who may not care to produce vegetables for commercial purposes. 
Every farm should have a model home garden as an aid to a varied, 
well-balanced, and attractive diet. We are only beginning to ap- 
preciate the vitamine values of garden vegetables. 

Project outline. — Every student should prepare a complete 
project plan. The basis for such a plan will be found in the " Cal- 
endar " and questions following each sectional discussion. Many 
other questions may be added in almost every instance, and ad- 



EXPLANATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS Xlll 

ditional references should be included. Liberal open spacing has 
been allowed for supplementary questions, references, and notes 
of local importance. 

Principles as well as practice. — In following the project method 
of teaching, it is exceedingly important to acquire a thorough under- 
standing of the principles involved, as well as the practice essential 
to success. A knowledge of principles is the greatest aid in the 
proper performance of every operation. There is almost no limit 
to which the instructor and gardener may not go in the studying of 
principles. We should have as complete knowledge as possible of 
the related sciences of botany, chemistry, physics, and bacteriology, 
as they apply to the practice of vegetable gardening. Instructors 
should give special attention to this phase of project teaching. 

Accounts. — All projects should be handled as business proposi- 
tions; careful accounts should be kept of all transactions. The 
gardener should know at the end of the season the exact costs for 
fertilizer, seeds, supplies of all kinds; and also the cost of labor, 
placing a value on his own time, and the cost of marketing. He 
will then be able to determine the profits realized on the projects. 
As a student he will thus gain valuable training and experience in 
bookkeeping and in interpretation of farming figures. 

Records. — A complete record should be kept of all operations. 
From the teaching standpoint alone, too much emphasis cannot be 
placed on the importance of detailed records. If further vegetable 
gardening is attempted any time in the future, the records will be 
found to be of great value. Photographic records of the accom- 
plishments are of special interest. 

Reports. — Pupils should make written reports of their work 
from time to time, and upon the completion of each project a com- 
plete report on the year's work should be filed in the school library. 

Laboratory exercises. — Instructors will find it necessary to 
conduct certain laboratory exercises, in addition to the regu- 
lar project work. These may be soil studies, germination tests. 



xiv EXPLANATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 

botanical investigations of vegetables, seed sowing, transplanting, 
studies of injurious insects and plant diseases, spraying, etc. Every 
instructor should prepare a schedule of such laboratory exercises 
as a means of adding interest, understanding, and zest to regular 
project work. The Gilbert '' Guides " referred to in the *' ('al- 
endar " should be useful in this connection. 

Practicums. — Instructors will find that it is important to con- 
duct certain practicums, or work affording preliminary practice, 
under the closest supervision. In most instances the project plant- 
ings will be made at the homes of the pupils, but a certain amount of 
practice work for the class as a whole, either at the school or at 
some other convenient point, is almost indispensable as a means of 
avoiding many mistakes. It is much more effective to show a pupil 
how to set plants or sow seed than to tell him, and some operations 
can be shown a small group almost as effectively as an individual. 
There can be all sorts of simple demonstration work by the instruc- 
tor in the schoolroom and outdoors. It may be best, in some lo- 
calities, to maintain a demonstration garden at the school, where 
most of the operations may be performed in advance of the work 
at the homes. 

Inspection trips. — Inspection trips to the market gardens and 
the gardens of the pupils should be taken occasionally. A study of 
well-conducted commercial operations, early in the year, will be 
found especially helpful. 

Exhibits. — Exhibits of the products grown should be made when 
the crops are in best condition to be shown. Vegetable displays, 
when skillfully managed, always stimulate community interest in 
the work of the school, and they are also of great educational value 
to the pupils. 

Judging vegetables. — A thorough knowledge of vegetables is 
best obtained by judging them. This work should be done as a 
regular laboratory exercise and also in connection with exhibits. 
Score cards or instructions for scoring may be obtained from the 



EXPLANATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS XV 

United States Department of Agriculture and also from the Agri- 
cultural Colleges. 

Early plants — where to grow them. — It is not feasible or even 
possible for all pupils to grow their own plants at their homes. In 
many schools, it is probably best to make hotbeds and cold frames 
at the school, under the direction of an instructor who will also 
supervise the growing of the plants. Each pupil can have whatever 
space is needed and then the plants may be taken to the homes and 
set out at the proper time. There are many arguments in favor of 
this plan. 

A special explanation. — In Root Crop Project XII, there is 
almost an entire absence of references, except cross references 
in this volume. This is due to the fact that there are so many 
root crops that a multiplicity of references would be necessary to 
cover the entire field. Pupils will readily find the information de- 
sired in references C, L, and W-VG (see Reference Key), and 
in the numerous bulletins that are available. The same may be 
said of Project XXI, ]\Iaking the Home Garden. 

How to use this book. — This book is intended to serve as a 
guide in studying and conducting vegetable gardening projects. 
The mind of the pupil should be concentrated on the thing to be 
accomplished. All effort in seeking information should be cen- 
tered, for the time being, on this one thing. In no instance should 
the chapter be studied as chapters are usually studied. The sec- 
tions, indicated by numbers, are natural divisions of the projects 
and each section raises a number of questions that should be an- 
swered before proceeding with that part of the project. 

Only the most salient points are discussed in this book and it is 
expected that students will make free use of the vast amount of 
literature relating to vegetable gardening. 



REFERENCE KEY 

Reference books. — In all references used in this book, letters 
are employed instead of the titles of the books. The letter W al- 
ways means this particular book, Vegetable Growing Projects, and 
the numerals used with W refer to the page number. For example, 
W : 14 refers to this book, page 14 ; W-VG : 10 refers to Vegetable 
Gardening by Watts, page 10 ; L : 25 to Productive Vegetable Gar- 
dening by Lloyd, page 25 ; and C : 50 to Garden Farming by Corbett, 
page 50, etc. Many other books might be included, but the list 
is sufficiently complete to meet the needs of most pupils. In fact, 
if funds are very much limited, the last three volumes named above, 
or any one of them, with the first, will serve the purpose. SH refers 
to Stevens and Hall's Diseases of Economic Plants, Revised Edi- 
tion, 1921. 

A Allen, C'. L. — Cabbages, Cauliflower, etc. ; The Orange Judd Com- 

pany 

B Beattie, W. R. — Celery Culture; The Orange Judd Company 

C Corbett, L. C. — Garden Farming; Ginn and Company 



CL Crosby, C. R., and Leonard, M. D. — Manual oj Garden Insects 

The Macmillan Company 



Fi Fitz, James — Sweet Potato Culture; The Orange Judd Company 



xvn 



REFERENCE KEY xix 

S-B Sevey, G. C. — Bean Culture; The Oruiigc Judd Company 

S-P Sevey, G. C. — Peas and Pea Culture; The Orange Judd Company 

Sp Spillraan, W. J. — Farm Science; World Book Company 



SH Stevens, F. L., and Hall, J. G. — Diseases of Economic Plants; The 

Macmillan Company, 1921 



St Stimson, R. W. — Vocational Agricultural Education by Home Proj- 

ects; The Macmillan Company 



Tra Tracey, W. W. — Tomato Culture; The Orange Judd Company 

Trp Troop, J. — Melon Culture; The Orange Judd Company 



V Vivian, A. — First Principles of Soil Fertility; The Orange Judd 

Company 



W Watts, R. L. — Vegetable Groiving Projects; this book 

W-VF Watts, R. L. — Vegetable Forcing; The Orange Judd Company 

W-VG Watts, R. L. — Vegetable Gardening; The Orange Judd Company 

Wi Wilkinson, A. E. — Sweet Corn; The Orange Judd Company 



XX REFERENCE KEY 

Bulletins and other references. — Large numbers of bulletins, 
circulars, and reports of the various agricultural colleges and agri- 
cultural experiment stations and of the United States Department 
of Agriculture, relating to vegetable gardening, may be obtained 
free of charge upon request. It did not seem desirable to include 
any of them in the list of references, because in so many instances 
the supply is soon exhausted and possibly replaced by new editions. 
Every possible effort should be made to secure such bulletins, cir- 
culars, and reports as will be valuable in conducting project work, 
and letters for references should be assigned for the sake of conven- 
ience. Additions of suitable books on vegetable gardening topics 
should also be made to the school library from time to time. 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 



Map showing vegetable growing industry in the United States 

FIGURE 

1. A successful crop of New Jersey cantaloupes 

2. Bonny Best tomato 

3. Cold frame .... 

4. Cold frames well ventilated . 

5. Firming the soil for seed sowing 

6. Marking the rows for seed sowing 

7. Sowing seed from an envelope 

8. Equipment for making paper pots 

9. Making paper pot . 

10. Making paper pot . 

11. Making paper pot . 

12. Tomato plants in a paper and an earthen pot 

13. Equipment for sowing and transplanting 

14. Using the spotting board 

15. Holes made by the use of a spotting board and dibber 

16. Inexpensive garden tools 

17. Useful hand tools . 

18. Tomato worm 

19. Assortment of Parcel Post packages 

20. New York Improved eggplant 

21. Various types of eggplants 

22. Wilted eggplants . 

23. Pepper plants 

24. Jersey Wakefield cabbage 

25. Cabbage plants for seed purposes 

26. Flat of seedlings 

27. A flat of cabbage plants 

28. Transplanting cabbage . 

29. Wilting due to cabbage maggot 

30. Cabbage worm 

31. Cabbage aphis — infested leaf 

32. Club-root of cabbage 

33. Brussels sprouts 

34. Head of Pe Tsai or Chinese cabbage 

35. Head of Snowball cauliflower 

36. Winter Queen celery 

37. Plows for the ridging of celery 

xxi 



Frontispiece 

PAGE 

35 
41 



XXll 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 



FIGURE 

38. Trenching celery . 

39. A cold frame of lettuce . 

40. A perfect stand of lettuce 

41. Various types of squashes 

42. Squashes and pumpkins 

43. A type of turnip-shaped radish 

44. Oblong-shaped radishes . 

45. Long Cardinal radishes . 

46. Early Model beets . 

47. Salsify seedlings 

48. Roots of salsify 

49. Various types of carrots 

50. Kohl-rabi 

51. Swiss chard . 

52. Spinach and beet leaf miner 

53. Home hampers 

54. Vegetables in cold frames 

55. Potato leaf in cross section 

56. An efficient spraying machine 

57. Potatoes, sprayed and unsprayed 

58. Potato flea beetle . 

59. A basket of onions 

60. Onion sets of various types and sizes 

61. Onion seedhngs 

62. Preparing for seed sowing 

63. Distributing the seed 

64. Firming the soil over the seed 

65. Bean seedlings 

66. Companion cropping 

67. Bean weevil injury to stored beans 

68. Celery intercropping with lettuce 

69. Asparagus ready to cut . 

70. Corn root web-worm 

71. Injury by corn ear-worm 

72. A student garden . 

73. A city war garden 

74. A productive war garden 

75. A well-managed war garden 

76. A community display of vegetables 

77. Fruits in a vegetable show 

78. Wire worm 

79. Millipede 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

The author desires to acknowledge the valuable assistance of 
Mr. Rufus W. Stimson, editor of the series of which Vegetable 
Growing Projects i^ to be a part. We are indebted to him for 
suggesting the particular form used in the preparation of the manu- 
script. The author is also grateful to Prof. John R. Bechtel, in 
charge of vegetable growing instruction at The Pennsylvania State 
College, who read all the manuscript and who directed the making 
of most of the illustrations, which were obtained from the Depart- 
ment of Horticulture ; to Prof. Raymond G. Bressler, of The Penn- 
sylvania State College, who also read the entire manuscript; to 
Prof. E. L. Nixon of The Pennsylvania State College, who provided 
illustrations No. 55, 56, and 57 and made many valuable sugges- 
tions relating to the control of disease and insect enemies of the po- 
tato ; to Dr. Frank D. Kern of The Pennsylvania State College for 
all botanical notes ; to Prof. H. E. Hodgkiss of The Pennsylvania 
State College for all notes relating to injurious insects; and to 
Mr. Harvey Porch of Bridgeton, N. J., for the photograph from 
which was made the illustration on page 36. My son, Gilbert S. 
Watts, rendered valuable assistance in the preparation of the 
" Calendar." 



R. L. Watts. 



September 24, 1921. 



xxiu 



VEGETABLE GROWING 
PROJECTS 

CHAPTER ONE 

VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECT CALENDAR 
OR SEASONAL PROGRAM 

1. — Get Preliminary Experience 
Work at every kind of vegetable growing operations that you 
find going on in your vicinity before classroom studying begins ; 
and keep on working at such operations after school opens. Work 
for pay, if you can get it ; or work for the chance it will give you 
to watch and learn, and take your pay in the greater skill and 
knowledge thus gained. Your own project should be built on 
sound experience. 

2. — Adjust the Calendar to Your Project 

The suggestions printed in the following calendar are based 
on the region around State College, Pennsylvania. In normal 
seasons they may be followed without change of months in local- 
ities where the first killing frost in the fall occurs about October 
first, and the latest killing frost in the spring about May tenth. 
Consult Weather Bureau Reports, seek local information, and 
adjust the calendar to your project by entering dates in the left- 
hand columns. Also, from time to time, insert in the open spaces 
provided for this purpose all other items needed to fit your pro- 
gram exactly to your peculiar conditions. Include, as they arise, 
the unexpected demands of your project, and the unanticipated 
opportunities for work and study. Keep your eye on it, perfect 
it, and in carrying it out be on time. 

1 



VEGETABLE GROWING PUOJECTS 

AUGUST 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Dates 



Project Work 

By the Pupil 



Consider various pos- 
sible projects. 

W : Full list. 

St: 63-64, 406 ff., 
428-430, 454-457 

GHG: Guide VI. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 

By the Class 



As a guide in deter- 
mining projects : 
visit and study ex- 
isting projects. 



Find out what you 

could sell. 
GHG : Guides I and 

II. 



Study transportation 
facilities in rela 
tion to your mar- 
kets. 

C : 90-97. 



Compare advantages 
of different plots of 
land. 

W-VG : 27. L : 9. 

GHG : Guide III. 



Start compost 
plant growing. 
W-VG: 151. 
GHG : Guide V. 



for 



Observations 

By the Pupil 



Be alert and watch- 
ful at all times. 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECT CALENDAR 

AUGUST 
See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Project Work 

By the Pupil 



Sow clover for green 
manure and cover 
crops. 

W-VG : 54-55. 

V : 99-104. 



Make last sowing for 
fall crop lettuce 
and spinach. 



Plant Egyptian onion 

sets. 
W-VG : 383. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 



By the Class 



Put up compost heap 
to provide soil for 
plant growing, not- 
ing proportion of 
each material uSed 

V : 163-164. 



Observations 

By the Pupil 



Keep an eye on 
projects of others 
to gain pointers for 
next season. 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

SEPTEMBER 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Dates 



Project Work 

By the Pupil 



Determine projects to 

be carried on. 
Hn: 162-171. 
GHG : Guide VI. 



Select plots for proj- 
ects. 
W: Full list. Sp: 47 
GHG: Guide VI. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 

By the Class 



Prepare budget and 
accounting plan for 
projects. 

GHG': Guide VI. 



In a field trip study 
various locations 
with reference to 
suitability of soil 
and exposure for 
certain projects. 

C : 8-9. 

GHG : Guide IV. 



Observations 

By the Pupil 



Record date of first 

killing frost. 
GHG : Guide XXII. 



Visit fairs and other 
exhibits and study 
the best varieties. 



Note the part mois- 
ture plays in start- 
ing green manure 
and cover crops. 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECT CALENDAR 

SEPTEMBER 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 




Practicumf and 




to Particular 


Project Work 


Laboratory 


Observations 


Localities 




Activities 





By the Pupil 


By the Pupil 


By the Class 


By the Pupil 


Dates 


Select seed of sweet 


Visit markets and 


Observe which green 




corn, tomato, pep- 


study carefully. 


manure and cover 




per, eggplant, 


noting such points 


crops start most 




squash, cucumber. 


as packages used 


c e r't a i n 1 y in 




W-VG: 92-98. 


for each crop, and 


droughty weather. 




Wi: 194-195. 


method of placing 
vegetables in the 
packages. 

W-VG : 168-174. 

L : 285-286. 

GHG: Guide L 






Sow timothy or rye 








and vetch for cover 








crop. 








W-VG : 55-56. 








Sow spinach to win- 








ter. 








W-VG : 426. 







6 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



OCTOBER 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Dates 



Project Work 
By the Pupil 



Decide upon plant- 
growing equip- 
ment. 

W : 44-50. 

W-VG: 152-154. 

GHG : Guides VI 
and VIII. 



Store soil and rotten 
manure for start- 
ing early plants. 

W-VG : 151-152. 



Collect one-peck 
sample of soil from 
garden to be 
planted. 

GHG : .Guide III. 



Sow rye and vetch 

cover crop. 
L : 29. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 

By the Class 



Visit and study your 
market to deter- 
mine the compara- 
tive advantages of 



(1) selling 
wholesaler ; 



to 



(2) selling to re- 
tailers ; 

(3) selling to con- 
sumers on curb 
market, and 

(4) selling from 
home to home. 

L : 294-302. 
GHG: Guide I. 



Observations 
By the Pupil 



first 



Record date of 

killing frost. 
GHG: Guide XXII 



Watch the growth 
made by late celery 
and late cabbage 
this month. 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECT CALENDAR 

OCTOBER 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Project Work 
By the Pupil 



Make sure there is 
rye straw for mats. 
W-VG : 154. 



Select potatoes for 
planting next year. 
Fr : 52, 74, 175. 



Save asparagus seed. 
H : 26-29. 
W-VG: 206-208. 



Dig hotbed pit. 
W-VG: 105. 
Tra: 51. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 

By the Class 



Observations 
By the Pupil 



Draw up plans for a See what happens to 



plank hotbed and 
a concrete hotbed, 
estimating the 

comparative costs. 
W-VG : 106. L : 63. 



the prices of "ten- 
der" vegetables 
after the first hard 
frost. 
GHG : Guide I. 



Attend any school, 
community, or 
county vegetable 
exhibits within 
reach, making 

notes that will be 
of value in making 
your exhibit next 
fall. 



Make hotbed frame. 
W-VG : 106. L : 63. 



Determine which 
green manure and 
cover crops are 
most effectively 
smothering out 
weeds. 



8 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



NOVEMBER 
See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 


Project Work 


Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 


Observations 


By the Pupil 


By the Pupil 


By the Class 


By the Pupil 




Grade level area for 


Visit large commer- 


Record date when 




cold frames. 


cial gardens and 


ground freezes for 




W-VG: 114-115. 


note in detail the 


the winter. 






storing of crops. 
W-VG : 193-195. 


GHG: Guide XXII. 






C: 82-89. 








L: 304-311. 








GHG : Guide XI. 






Make cold frames. 








W-VG: 115-117. 








L : 66. C : 55-57. 








GHG : Guide VIII. 








Protect soil in hot- 








beds and cold 








frames from deep 








freezing. 








Dig and store rhu- 




j 




barb roots for forc- 








ing. 
W-VF : 199. 








Plow garden. 
W-VG : 29-30. 








V: 71. 





VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECT CALENDAR 



9 



NOVEMBER 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



SOW rye as cover crop. 
W-VG : 53. 



Project Work 
By the Pupil 



Make straw mats. 
W : 50. W-VG : 154. 
GHG : Guide VIII. 



Make flats. 

W : 48. W-VG : 152. 

GHG : Guide VIII. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities . 

By the Class 



Estimate costs and 
returns for various 
crops. 

Hn: 117-134, 148- 
161. 

GHG : Guide II. 



Make straw mats. 
W : 50. W-VG : 154. 



Make map of your 

project plot. 
GHG : Guides IV 

and VI. 



Apply manure to 

project plot. 
W-VG : 49-50. 



Observations 

By the Pupil 



Note the compara- 
tive amounts of top 
growth made by 
different green ma- 
nure and cover 
crops. 



Record date of first 
snow that remains. 



10 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



DECEMBER 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 


Project Work 

By the Pupil 


Dates 


Complete details of 

projects. 
GHG : Guide VI. 




Make transplanting 
boards, dibbers, 




and paper pots. 
W-VG : 160. 
GHG : Guide VIII. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 

By the Class 



Test sample of soil 
from plot for acid- 
ity. Study physi- 
cal properties 

Sp:119. V: 247-248. 

GHG : Guide V. 



On a blank map lo- 
cate important 
markets within 
convenient truck- 
ing or shipping dis- 
tance. Note on the 
margins the popu- 
lation of each. 

GHG: Guide VI. 



Observations 

By the Pupil 



Record date of the 
season's first snow 
to remain. 



Repair 


and 


paint 


tools 


and 


imple- 


ments. 




W-VG- 


40. 




GHG: 


Guide VIII. 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECT CALENDAR 



11 



DECEMBER 

See page 1 , section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Project Work 

By the Pupil 



Repair and paint old 

sash. 
W-VG : 108. 
GHG: Guide VIIL 



Glaze and paint new 

sash. 
W-VG : 108. 



Make an inventory of 
old tools and 
equipment and de- 
termine new equip- 
ment required. 

H: 109-116. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 

By the Class 



Repair and paint hot- 
bed sash, noting 
such details of con- 
struction as type 
of mortise or cen- 
tral bracing. 

W-VG : 107-109. 

GHG : Guide VIIL 



Compare green ma- 
nures in their abil- 
ity to hold snow. 



Study labor, capital, 
accounting, and 
administrating as 
applied to market 
gardening. 

GHG: Guides VII. 
X. and XII. 



Observations 

By the Pupil 



12 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



JANUARY 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Dates 



Project Work 
By the Pupil 



Work on home gar- 
den plans. 
W:293. L: 265-276. 
0:105-110. 



Order seeds, 
W-VG : 99. 
GHG: Guides VI 
and IX. 



Order fertilizer. 
W-VG : 68. 
V : 233-241. 
GHG : Guide VI. 



Order lime. 

V : 249. 

GHG : Guide VI. 



Order insecticides. 
CL: 368-381. 
GHG : Guide VI. 



Order new tools. 
W-VG : 28-40. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 

By the Class 



Study the seeds of 
various vegetables, 
noting size, shape, 
color, markings, if 
any, and character 
of seed coats. 

Sp : 170-172. 

GHG : Guide IX. 



Determine number 
of seeds to the 
ounce of important 
vegetables. 

W-VG : 496-497. 

GHG : Guide IX. 



Practice identifica- 
tion of unnamed 
or mixed samples 
of vegetable seeds. 

GHG : Guide IX. 



Observations 

By the Pupil 



Note the compara- 
tive freedom of va- 
rious samples of 
seed from weed 
seeds and dirt. 

GHG : Guide IX. 



Note new rootlets 
on celery removed 
from storage. 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECT CALENDAR 



13 



JANUARY 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

io Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Project Work 
By the Pupil 



As seeds arrive, mark 
each package with 
the month and 
year. 



Make germination 

tests. 
W-VG:10L 
GHG: Guides VI and 

IX. 



Force rhubarb. 
W-VF : 190-197. 
M : 5-27. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 

By the Class 



Disinfect such vege- 
table seeds as re- 
quire this treat- 
ment, making de- 
tailed records of 
materials used, 
duration of treat- 
ment, washing and 
subsequent care of 
the seeds. 

SH:7. 



Design trade marks. 
W-VG : 176-177. 



Market stored crops. 
W-VG : 167-168. 



Take two samples 
from the same lot 
of seed and test for 
germination and 
vitality, using the 
blotting paper and 
dish method in one 
case, and sowing 
the seeds in a flat 
of soil in the other 
case. Study re- 
sults. 

W-VG: 101. 

Sp: 298. 

GHG : Guide IX. 



Observations 
By the Pupil 



Record depth of snow 
and of frost pene- 
tration into the 
soil. 



Visit markets, noting 
which crops are 
shipped in from the 
South, and which 
are being supplied 
from storage in the 
North. 

GHG : Guide I. 



14 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



FEBRUARY 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 




Practicums and 




to Particular 


Project Work 


Laboratory 


Observations 


Localities 




Activities 




By the Pupil 


By the Pupil 


By the Class 


By the Pupil 


Dates 


Make hotbed. 


Study statistics on 


Note changes taking 




W:44. W-VG:110. 


the average prices 


place in fall plowed 




L : 60-62. 


of cabbage or root 


land left lumpy. 




Sow early cabbage, 


crops in October, 


W-VG : 29. 




early lettuce, kohl- 


November, Janu- 






rabi, and Prize- 


ary, and February. 






taker onions. 


The Market Re- 






W : under each crop. 


porter, U. S. Dept. 






W-VG : 133, 134, 154. 


of Ag. 






GHG: Guides VI 


GHG : Guide I. 






and IX. 








Give hotbed daily 


Study seedlings, of 


Examine root crops 




attention. 


various vegetables, 


in pits, noting 




W-VG : 155. 


noting distinguish- 


change in condi- 






ing characteristics. 


tion since last ex- 
amined. 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECT CALENDAR 



15 



FEBRUARY 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 


Project Work 


Practicums and 
Laboratory 
Activities 


Observations 


By the Pupil 


By the Pupil 


By the Class 


By the Pupil 


Dates 


Make detailed gar- 
den plans. 


Study minutely pea. 
bean, and corn 
seedlings, making 
detailed drawings 
of each. 

R : 59, 178, 417, 422. 


Compare prices re- 
ceived for crops 
from storage with 
prices offered for 
the same crops 
when put in storage. 

GHG : Guide I. 




Force rhubarb. 
W-VF : 190-197. 


Mix soils for plant 
growing, noting 
how to moisten 
without puddling; 
and noting the in- 


Visit markets. 




Market forced rhu- 
barb. 
W-VF : 201-203. 


fluences of varying 
proportions of 
sand, fine rotten 
manure, and loam 
on the resulting 
mixture. 

W : 52. 

GHG : Guide XIV. 


Note when the frost 
comes out of the 
ground. 




Market stored crops. 
W-VG:281. 




Observe temperature 
changes in hotbed. 



16 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



MARCH 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Dates 



Project Work 
By the Pupil 



Sow tomatoes, early 
celery, cauliflower, 
and beets for trans- 
planting. 

VV : under each crop. 

GHG : Guide VI. 



Transplant seedlings 
started in Febru- 
ary. 

W : under each crop. 

GHG : Guide IX. 



Mix fertihzers. 
V : 215-218. 
GHG : Guides V and 
VI. 



Clip tops of onion 

seedlings. 
W : 234. 



Order packages for 

marketing. 
C : 92. 



Market stored crops. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 

By the Class 



Work out fertilizer 

mixing problems. 
W-VG: 69-71. 

V : 254. 



Disinfect all seed 
potatoes, making 
notes on important 
points. 

W : 216. Fr : 180. 

SH : 240. 



Observations 

By the Pupil 



Note when the frost 
comes out of the 
ground. 



Transplant seedlings, 
studying to de- 
velop the greatest 
possible speed 
through use of a 
definite system of 
dropping and set- 
ting plants and the 
elimination of un- 
necessary move- 
ments. 

W-VG : 155-157. 

GHG : Guide IX. 



Note the color, odor, 
and taste of com- 
mon fertilizing 
materials. 

GHG : Guide V. 



Observe "heaving" 
of wintered spinach , 
parsnips, or wheat. 



Draw conclusions in 
regard to the kinds 
of winters, loca- 
tions, and soils con- 
ducive to serious 
heaving. 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECT CALENDAR 



17 



MARCH 
See page 1 , section 2 



Adjustments 




Practicums and 




to Particular 


Project Work 


Laboratory 


Observations 


Localities 




Activities 




By the Pupil 


By the Pupil 


By the Class 


By the Pupil 


Dates 


Sow peppers and egg- 


Compare several 


Note which green 




plants. 


seedlings of the 


manure and cover 




W : 77, 83. 


same kind and age, 


crops make the 






but grown under 


greatest early 






different condi- 


spring growth. 




Give hotbeds and 


tions of moisture. 






cold frames fre- 


temperature, or 






quent attention. 


light, noting firm- 
ness of tissue, color, 
and general vigor. 






Start to harden early 








cabbage. 
W:98. 








Manure project plot. 


Mix fertilizers, keep- 


From the flats of 




C : 49-50. 


ing an accurate 


several students 






record of time. 


note the effects of 






Compute the sav- 


too deep and too 




Plow, if land is fit. 


ing or increase in 
cost per ton over 


shallow covering of 
seed. 




W-VG : 30. V : 72. 


buying mixed 






GHG: Guides VI and 


goods. 






XL 


GHG : Guide V. 






Market forced rhu- 








barb. 








M : 29-32. 








W-VF: 201-203. 








GHG : Guide XI. 








Sow spinach, lettuce, 








radishes, and peas, 








if possible. 








W : under each crop. 




Observe temperature 




GHG: Guides VI 




changes in cold 




and XL 




frame. 



18 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



APRIL 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 




Practicums and 




to Particular 


Project Work 


Laboratory 


Observations 


Localities 




Activities 




By the Pupil 


By the Pupil 


By the Class 


By the Pupil 


Dates 


Transplant into cold- 


Prepare a plot for 


Note how much more 




frame seedlings 


planting, using 


easily clods may be 




started in March. 


various tools and 


broken when har- 




W-VG: 155-157. 


noting their rela- 


rowing soon after 




GHG : Guide VI. 


tive efficiency in 


plowing rather 






breaking clods. 


than after the wind 




Plow project plot. 


leveling, mixing in 


has dried the 




W-VG : 30. V : 72. 


fertilizer or lime. 


lumps. 




GHG : Guide VI. 


and in firming the 
soil. 






Prepare plot for 


GHG: Guide XL 






planting. 








W-VG : 31-34. 








GHG : Guide VI. 








Plant peas, early 








potatoes, lettuce, 


Study garden seed 


Watch how plants in 




beets, carrots, 


drills to learn the 


the frames "shoot 




early turnips, pars- 


names, uses, and 


up" when their 




nips, onion seeds, 


adjustments of 


leaves begin to 




and onion sets. 


each part. 


touch each other. 




W : under each crop. 


Catalogues and in- 






GHG: Guides VI and 


struction sheets. 






XI. 


GHG : Guide VIII. 






Transplant cabbage, 








lettuce, and kohl- 








rabi into field. 








W : under each crop. 








GHG : Guides VI 








and XL 








Sow asparagus seed 




Look for difference in 




in field. 




frost injury to well- 




H: 30-34. W: 271. 




grown, well-hard- 
ened cabbage plants 




Plant asparagus 




as compared with 




roots. 




weak, tender 




W : 272. H : 49-60. 




plants. 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECT CALENDAR 



19 



APRIL 

See page 1 , section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Project Work 
By the Pupil 



Plant rhubarb. 
W: 280. L:403. 



Sow oats and peas for 

green manure. 
W-VG : 56. 



Avoid too high tem- 
peratures in the 
frames. 



Start cucurbits in 
I)ots under glass. 

W: 156. V-VG: 
332. 

Start cultivation as 
soon as rows can 
be seen. 

W-VG : 34-37. 



Transplant a second 
time crowded to- 
matoes, eggplants, 
or peppers. 

W: 59. 



Harvest rhubarb, 
wintered spinach, 
and Egyptian on- 
ions. 



Combat garden pests. 
W, SH, and CL. 



Practicums and 
Laboratory 
Activities 

By the Class 



Set out asparagus 
and rhubarb roots, 
studying each. 
Determine why 
asparagus is prop 
agated from seeds 
and rhubarb bv 
division of old 
crowns. 

W-VG: 208, 209, 419, 
420. 



Make a study of and 
record briefly fac- 
tors you find im- 
portant in avoid- 
ing loss of plants 
when setting in the 
field. 



Observations 
By the Pupil 



Keep notes on grow- 
ing conditions. 
Record belated 
snows, freezes, long 
rainy periods, or 
unusually warm 
weather. 



Note the dates on 
which home-grown 
vegetables of va- 
rious kinds first 
appear in the mar- 
ket. 

GHG : Guides I and 
XVIII. 



Note uneven growth 
of plants when flats 
are not filled uni- 
formly. 



20 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



MAY 
See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Dates 



Project Work 
By the Pupil 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 

By the Class 



Sow late celery. 
W : 128. B : 43-46. 



Sow late cabbage and 

late cauliflower. 
R: 20-21. 



Sow lettuce for suc- 
cession. 



Top dress backward 
crops with ferti 
lizer. 

W-VG: 60-61. 



Plant sweet corn. 

W : 288. 

GHG : Guide VI. 

Plant all cucurbits. 
W: 151. 



Plant beans. 
W : 253. 



Provide support for 

peas. 

W : 264. W-VG : 412. 
S-P : 74. 



Market asparagus 
rhubarb, and other 
crops. 



Dig up one square 
foot of a green ma- 
nure crop, taking 
with it the soil one 
foot deep, wash the 
soil away, and 
determine the ton- 
nage of organic 
matter per acre. 



Note the habit and 
bulk of growth of 
roots and tops of 
various green ma- 
nure and cover 
crops. Draw con 
elusions as to value 
of each in "soil 
binding, " weed ex- 
terminating, ability 
to winter, and dan- 
ger of becoming a 
weed or interfering 
with cultivation. 



Observations 

By the Pupil 



Note nodules on le- 
guminous cover 
crops. 

Sp : 148-151. 



Compare root devel- 
opment as green 
manures and cover 
crops are plowed 
under. 

Rb : 10-14. 



Note the dates 
kilUng frosts. 



of 



Keep up with notes 
on growing condi- 
tions. 

GHG: Guides XIII 
and XV. 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECT CALENDAR 



21 



MAY 
See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Project Work 
By the Pupil 



Transplant into field 
early celery and 
Prize-taker onions. 

W : 130, 239. 

Cultivate frequently. 
V: 69-71. 
GHG : Guide VI. 

Thin to correct stand. 
W-VG : 133. 

Watch for and con- 
trol insect and fun- 
gous enemies. 

W, SH, and CL. 

GHG: Guides VI 
and XI. 

Mark high-yielding 
asparagus crowns. 

Plow down green ma- 
nures. 

Harrow at once and 
repeat at intervals, 
if land is fallow. 

Transplant tomatoes 

into field. 
W-VG : 141, 460. 
L:49. 

Transplant to field 
cucurbits started 
in pots. 

W-VG : 334-335. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 

By the Class 



Top dress a growing 
crop with nitrate 
of soda or ammo- 
nium sulphate, 
making careful 
calculations as to 
area to be covered 
and the amount of 
fertilizer required 
to equal 150 
pounds of nitrate 
of soda per acre. 

GHG : Guide V. 



Practice planting. 
Have contests for 
skill and speed. 

GHG : Guide XL 



Observations 
By the Pupil 



Note the dates on 
which various 

kinds of home- 
grown vegetables 
first appear in the 
market. 



Note the rebranching 
of roots when set- 
ting transplanted 
plants in the field. 



Practice cultivating, 
weeding, and thin- 
ning closely plant- 
ed crops, drawing 
conclusions as to 
the comparative 
efficiency of dif- 
ferent wheel hoes, 
weeders, and your 
own fingers for the 
various phases of 
this work. 

GHG : Guide XL 



Compare frost injury 
to tender crops in 
low locations with 
that to the same 
crops on higher 
land. 

GHG : Guide XXII. 



Begin field study of 
botany of vege- 
tables. 

GHG : Guide XXI. 



Note beneficial birds 
about the garden. 



22 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



JUNE 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Dates 



Project Work 
By the Pupil 



Transplant eggplants 
and peppers into 
field. 

W : 82, 86. 

GHG : Guide VI. 

Plant late sweet corn. 

W : 288. 

GHG : Guide VI. 

Plant late potatoes. 
Fr: 91-104. 



Plant bush beans for 

succession. 
GHG : Guide VI. 

Stake, prune, and tie 

tomato vines. 
W-VG: 461-463. 
Tra : 79-89. 

Top dress with ferti- 
lizer if necessary. 
W-VG : 60-61. 



Cultivate crops. 
V:73. 



Hoe and weed crops. 
W-VG: 37-40. 



Thin to correct stand. 

C:37. 

GHG : Guide XL 



Practicums and 
Laboratory 
Activities 

By the Class 



Make a study of 
available spraying 
equipment, learn- 
ing the care and 
adjustment of all 
parts. 

GHG : Guide VIII. 



Study the character- 
istics of important 
spray materials 
and prepare them 
for use in the field. 

CL: 368-381. 

GHG : Guide XL 



ITse both large-tooth 
and fine-tooth 

horse-drawn culti- 
vators, comparing 
their efficiency as 
weed killers and 
mulch producers, 
the depth and ra- 
pidity of operation, 
and noting adapta- 
bility to special 
crops. 

GHG : Guide VIII. 



Observations 
By the Pupil 



Note the dates of 

killing frost. 
GHG : Guide XXII. 



Do not neglect notes 
on growing condi- 
tions. Record such 
things as drought, 
hail, or serious 
damage from pests. 

GHG : Guide XII. 



Note the date on 
which home-grown 
vegetables of va- 
rious kinds first 
appear in the 
market. 

GHG : Guide XVIII. 



Compare the devel- 
opment of "bot- 
toms" on root 
crops where amply 
spaced and where 
crowded. 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECT CALENDAR 



23 



JUNE 

iScu page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Project Work 
By the Pupil 



Sow late root crops, 
French endive, and 
Brussels sprouts. 

W-VG: 247, 291,406. 

\V-VF:375. 

Transplant into field 
late cabbage and 
late cauliflower. 

W-VG: 272, 300. 

R : 46-59. 

Harvest and market 
lettuce, radishes, 
spinach, green 
onions, rhubarb, 
and asparagus. 

W : under each crop. 

GHG: Guides VI and 
XL 

Combat garden pests. 
W, SH, and CL. 

Transplant late cel- 
ery into field. 
W-VG: 312. C:198. 
B:54. 

Cradle rye for mats. 

Remove suckers from 

sweet com. 
Wi : 25, 72, 182. 

Discontinue cutting 

asparagus. 
W-VG : 220. 

Be on the alert to 
prevent insect and 
disease injuries. 

GHG: Guides XVI 
and XVII. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 

By the Class 



Make a study of in- 
sects affecting po- 
tatoes, cabbages, 
tomatoes, and peas 
at this season. 
Determine how 
each feeds and note 
the character of its 
coat. 

CL : under each croj). 

GHG: Guides XI and 
XVI. 



Observations 

By the Pupil 



Note the relation of 
seed testing and 
accurate adjust- 
ment of the drill to 
subsequent labor of 
thinning. 



Keep a close eye on 
way different com- 
panion cropping 
schemes work out. 

GHG : Guide IV. 



Watch the movement 
of prices in your 
market as the sea- 
son progresses. 

GHG : Guide I. 



Note the effect of 
different plant 
foods on garden 
crops. 

GHG : Guide XIII. 



24 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



JXJLY 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Dates 



Project Work 
By the Pupil 



Plant early varieties 
of sweet corn for 
fall crop. 



Plant late cucumbers. 
W: 160. 



Cultivate frequently. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 

By the Class 



Determine the names, 
habits of growth, 
kinds of root sys- 
tem, and means of 
reproduction of 
common garden 
weeds. 

GHG : Guide XXV. 



Observations 
By the Pupil 



Make notes on grow 
ing conditions. 



Hoe crops. 
W-VG : 37-38. 



Combat garden pests 
W, SH, and CL. 



Find out the length 
of time required by 
chickweed for the 
production of seed. 



Note the dates on 
which home-grown 
vegetables of va- 
rious kinds first 
appear in the mar- 
ket. 



Harvest and market 
crops promptly. 



Visit the markets, 
noting vegetables 
in liberal supply 
and in short sup- 
ply, and their 
prices. 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECT CALENDAR 



25 



JULY 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 




Practicums and 




to Particular 


Project Work 


Laboratory 


Observations 


Localities 




Activities 




By the Pupil 


Bu the Pupil 


By the Class 


By the Pupil 


Dates 


Plant bush stringless 


Make a study of the 


\ isit one or more 




beans for fall. 


vegetable package 


farms speciahzing 






situation in all its 


in vegetables, not- 






phases as it exists 


ing system of crop- 






in your local mar- 


ping, rotation, if 






ket. 


any, planting dis- 
tances, and other 
important features. 




Prune and tie staked 


Study in the field 


Note inefhciency of 




tomatoes. 


diseases affecting 


dull hoes. 




W-VF : 280-284. 


vegetables. Take 






L: 246-248. 


steps to establish 
the identity of each 
and familiarize 
yourself with meas- 
ures of control. 

SH : Full list. 

GHG: Guide XL 


Continue study of 




Sow lettuce, spinach, 




botany of vege- 




and endive for fall 




tables. 




crop. 




GHG : Guide XXL 



20 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



AUGUST 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Dates 



Project Work 

By the Pupil 



Combat garden pests. 
W, CL, and SH. 



Plant late turnips. 
W : 187. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 

By the Class 



Plan for school and 
other vegetable 
exhibits. 

GHG : Guide II. 



Observations 

By the Pupil 



Keep up notes on 
growing conditions. 

GHG: Guides XV 
and XIX. 



Sow last lettuce and 
spinach for fall 
crop. 



Sow winter radishes. 
W-VG : 418. 



Cultivate crops. 



Study asparagus and 
rhubarb to deter- 
mine the functions 
and relative im- 
portance of leaves 
and stems in each. 

Kb : 244, 286. 



Keep weeds out of 
the rows. 



Record dates on 
which various early 
crops leave the 
land vacant for 
succession crops or 
green manures. 

GHG : Guide IV. 



Determine which of 
the insects present 
at this season 
affect more than 
one crop. 

Ch : Full list. 

GHG : Guide XI. 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECT CALENDAR 



27 



AUGUST 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Project Work 
By the Pupil 



Market crops. 
Sp : 329-330. 



Save tomato and 

pepper seed. 
Tra: 112-1 10. 



PJanch early celery 
with boards or 
paper. 

W-VG : 316-318. 

B: 95-98. 



Harvest early onions, 
W:244. L:168. 



Sow lettuce for fall 

crop in frames. 
W-VF:404. 



Practicums and 
Laboratory 
Activities 

By the Class 



Spray a crop in the 
field, keeping ac- 
curate record of 
time and materials 
used per acre. 

GHG: Guide XI. 



Estimate the cost per 
acre per applica- 
tion and state how 
this may be influ- 
enced by equip- 
ment. 



Observations 
By the Pupil 



In gardens through- 
out your neighbor- 
hood note the com- 
parative ability of 
various vegetables 
to succeed in 
shaded locations. 



Continue study of 
botany of vege- 
tables. 

GHG : Guide XXI. 



28 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



SEPTEMBER 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Dates 



Project Work 
By the Pupil 



Combat garden pests. 
W, CL, and SH. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 

By the Class 



Complete plans for 
school and other 
vegetable exhibits. 



Cultivate crops. 



Market crops. Har 
vest closely to 
avoid losses in the 
field. 



Go into your plot and 
study in detail five 
individual plants 
of the same variety, 
noting and record- 
ing differences in 
size of plant or 
fruit, shape or 
color of leaf, or 
habit of growth. 



Observations 
By the Pupil 



Make notes on grow- 
ing conditions. 



Save sweet corn, to 
mato, pepper, egg- 
plant, cucumber, 
and squash seeds. 

W-VG : 92-99. 



Recognize plants as 
individuals. Plants 
from seed are as 
distinctly individ- 
ual as animals. 
Learn to see the 
difference between 
brother plants. 
This is essential in 
selection for seed 
growing. 

GHG : Guide XXIIL 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECT CALENDAR 



29 



SEPTEMBER 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Dates 



Project Work 

By the Pupil 



Break leaves over 

cauliflower heads. 
W:116. W-VG:300. 



Harvest squashes, 
sweet potatoes, 
onions, tomatoes, 
eggplant, and pep- 
pers. 

W : under each crop. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 

By the Class 



Study the tomato, 
squash, and aspar- 
agus, determining 
the method of pol- 
lination in each 



case. 
Rb : 247-249, 
61L 



588, 



Observations 
By the Pupil 



Visit one or more 
farms specializing 
in vegetable grow- 
ing. Note care- 
fully implements, 
tools, buildings, 
and wagons or 
trucks for market- 



ing. 
GHG 



Guide XVIII. 



Practice selection 
vegetables for 
hibition. 



of Continue study of 
ex- botany of vege- 
tables. 
GHG : Guide XXI. 



Sow cover crops. 
W-VG: 53-57. 



30 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



OCTOBER 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Dates 



Project Work 
By the Pupil 



Combat garden pests. 
W, CL, and SH. 



Ridge celeiy. 
W-VG: 315-319. 
B: 99. 



Select potato tubers 
for winter exhibits. 



Select seed potatoes. 
Fr : 175-176. 



Save asparagus seed. 
H : 28-29. 



Market crops. 



Sow cover crops. 
W-VG -.53-57. 



Complete ridging of 
celery. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 

By the Class 



Practice judging of 
plate displays and 
market packages of 
vegetables. 

GHG : Guide II. 



Practice judging veg- 
etables in contests 
at school. 

GHG: Guide II. 



Observations 
By the Pupil 



Mark and weigh 
several squashes 
when placed in 
storage. 



Visit vegetable ex- 
tension demonstra- 
tions. 



Compete in vegetable 
judging contests 
with teams repre- 
senting other 
schools. 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECT CALENDAR 



31 



OCTOBER 

See page 1 , section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 


Project Work 


Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 


Observations 


By the Pupil 


By the Pupil 


By the Class 


By the Pupil 


Dates 


Gather refuse and 
burn it. 


Set up school vege- 
table exhibit. 
GHG: Guide II. 


Observe wide varia- 
tions in quality of 
produce on the 
markets at this sea- 
son. 




Select root crops for 
winter exhibits. 








Make sauerkraut. 
W-VG : 289-290. 




Close up all summer 
field studies (bot- 
any, insect, dis- 
ease, etc.). 

GHG: Guides XVI, 
XVII, and XXL 




Take your inventory 
and close your 
project accounts, if 
your work is done, 
or if your report is 
now due. 

GHG : VL 








Prepare brief digest 
or report, in writ- 
ing, of your vege- 
table growing 








experience and 








conclusions as 
bearing on your 
future projects in 
this field. 







32 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



NOVEMBER 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Dates 



Project "Work 

By the Pupil 



Store celery and 

leeks. 
W-VG:321-325,351. 
B: 104-111. 



Protect lettuce in the 
field with coarse 
straw. 

Dig and store young 

asparagus roots 
W-VF : 182-183. 



Market crops. 



Store cabbage. 
W-VG: 275-281. 
R : 77, 96-104. 



Store root crops. 
C : 82-88. 
L : 308-309. 



Dig and store rhu- 
barb roots for forc- 
ing. 

W-VF : 199. 



Protect the hotbed 
and cold frame wa- 
ter system from 
frost. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 

By the Class 



Store celery and leeks 
in trenches, record- 
ing details of the 
operation. 

W-VG : 322-323. 



Bury late roots in 
pits, showing by 
sketches the posi- 
tion of the roots in 
completed pits. 

L : 308-309. 



Observations 

By the Pupil 



Observe changes in 
weight of stored 
squashes. 



Visit vegetable forc- 
ing houses, noting 
variation in prac- 
tice from that fol- 
lowed in the open. 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECT CALENDAR 



33 



NOVEMBER 

See page 1. section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Project Work 

By the Pupil 



Protect soil in hot- 
beds and frames 
from freezing. 



Mulch these crops : 
asparagus, rhu- 
barb, Egyptian 
onions, spinach to 
winter. 



Give buried crops ad- 
ditional protection 
as the weather 
grows severe. 



Clean implements 
and tools, oil metal 
parts, and store. 

W-VG : 40. 



Practicums and 
Laboratory 
Activities 

By the Class 



Study market reports 
clipped through- 
out the season. 
Plot price curves. 



Study varieties and 
strains of late cab- 
bage. 

W: 91. 



Study varieties of 

squash. 
W : 174. 



Observations 

By the Pupil 



Note rootlets and 
root hairs being 
formed on celery in 
trenches. 

Rb : 18-20. 



Compare decay 
among squashes 
with broken stems 
and with stems in- 
tact. 



34 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



DECEMBER 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 

to Particular 

Localities 

By the Pupil 



Dates 



Project Work 
By the Pupil 



Watch the tempera- 
ture and moisture 
conditions when 
storing crops in cel- 
lars. 



Make sure that crops 
buried in pits or 
trenches have ade- 
quate protection. 



Market crops from 
storage. 



Repair tools and 

order new parts. 
W-VG : 40. 



Practicums and 

Laboratory 

Activities 

By the Class 



Visit and study con- 
struction and oper- 
ation of large 
commercial storage 
houses and root 
cellars. 



Study varieties of 

onions. 
W : 232. 



Study varieties of 

root crops. 
W : under each crop. 



Observations 

By the Pupil 



Compare November 
and October losses 
in weight of stored 
squashes. 



Note spread of rot 
from one specimen 
to another where 
squashes touch 
each other. 



Note decay and gen- 
eral condition of 
root crops in pits. 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECT CALENDAR 35 



DECEMBER 

See page 1, section 2 



Adjustments 




Practicums and 




to Particular 


Project Work 


Laboratory 


Observations 


Localities 




Activities 




By the Pupil 


By the Pupil 


By the Class 


By the Pupil 


Dates 


Repair and paint hot- 


Study your project 


Mote changes taking 




bed sash. 


records and draw 


place in the hearts 




W-VG : 108. 


up a program for a 
similar project 
another season, 
making the new 


of stored celery. 






plan reflect clearly 








l)oints that have an 








important bearing 








on the success of 








the project and 








that have been 








made clear through 


Note any celery dis- 






your experience 


eases that continue 






and observations. 


activity in the 




Overhaul and make 




stored crop. 




replacements in 




Rb : 175-176. 




plant-growing 








equipment. 








W-VG : 152-153, 160 






• 


-16L 




Summarize your ex- 
perience and con- 
clusions in a final 
report. 




Work your final 








project records into 




• 




compact, available 








form for reference 








and judgment. 







36 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 




CHAPTER TWO 
SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 

Tomato, Eggplant, Pepper 

The solanaceous plant family includes the tomato, potato, egg- 
plant, pepper, Jimson weed, ground cherry, nightshade, tobacco, 
and petunia. Most of the members of this family are natives of 
tropical regions, which accounts for the fact that they are " tender " 
and liable to injury from frosts when grown in temperate regions. 

Project I. Growing Tomatoes 

The tomato belongs to the family Solanaceae. It is usually 
referred to as the Nightshade family. In this family the foliage 
is strong-scented and in many species the fruit is poisonous or 
narcotic. The tomato was early known as " Love Apple " and 
was long regarded with suspicion, doubtless on account of its 
undesirable relatives, such as the nightshades. It is a native 
of South America, where it is still to be found in the wild condi- 
tion. It has a fibrous root system. When the young plants are 
transplanted some of the fine rootlets wilt or are destroyed and 
new roots with greater vigor are developed. In this way trans- 
planting may increase the vigor of the plants. 

The leaves are compound and stalked and arranged alternately 
on the stem. Since the leaves are the food-making organs 
of the plant, anything that interferes with their development 
will affect the yield of fruit. If the leaves are not a healthy 
green color, do not grow to full size, are injured by insects, or are 

37 



38 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

spotted by the growth of fungi, the crop of fruit is sure to be 
affected. 

The fruit is a true berry, a fleshy fruit with the seeds em- 
bedded in a pulpy mass as in a grape or currant. The seeds are 
numerous and small. There are many varieties of the tomato, 
differing especially in the arrangement, size, shape, and color of 
the fruit. These numerous varieties that have been produced 
by breeding in cultivation can be reduced to five botanical types 
or groups, although it has been estimated that seedsmen offer as 
many as 175 so-called varieties. 

In order that the fruit may set well, the flowers must be well 
pollinated. Out of doors no assistance is necessary, but in green- 
houses jarring the plants or other means of artificially trans- 
ferring the pollen is required. The flowers are usually self-polli- 
nated and there is not much tendency for varieties to cross even if 
grown close together. The flowers are perfect; the corolla is 
wheel-shaped and five- or six-parted. 

1. What are some of the near relatives of the tomato? 

2. How can you explain the fact that the tomato is " tender "? 

3. How does transplanting tend to increase the vigor of young 

plants? 

4. Can you tell by the leaves whether a plant is healthy and vig- 

orous? 

6. What kind of fruit is the tomato? 

6. How many botanical types of tomatoes are there? How many 

varieties? 

7. What is pollination? What kind occurs in the tomato flowers? 



SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 39 

Project Outline 

1 . Why grow tomatoes ? 

2. Selecting location. 

3. Choosing varieties 

4. Obtaining seed. 

5. Constructing the hotbed. 

6. Constructing the cold frame. 

7. Making plant boxes. 

8. Making straw mats. 

9. Sowing seed. 

10. Caring for the seedlings. 

11. Making paper pots. 

12. Transplanting. 

13. Hardening the plants. 

14. Preparing the garden soil. 

15. Planting in the garden. 

16. Planting with other vegetables. 

17. Cultivating. 

18. Training the plants. 

19. Combating insects and diseases. 

20. Harvesting and marketing. 

1. Why grow tomatoes? — The tomato is one of our most im- 
portant garden crops. Thousands of acres of tomatoes are 
grown annually to supply the enormous demand of the markets 
and of the canning factories. The fruit is so popular among 
American consumers that it is rarely omitted in the crops of the 
home garden. 

1. Is there a considerable demand for tomatoes on your local 

market ? 

2. Can you ship tomatoes and realize a profit ? 



40 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

3. Is the tomato a profitable crop in your community ? 

4. How important is the tomato as a home garden crop ? L : 244. 

5. Whcit is the general commercial importance of the tomato crop? 

L:244. Tra:18. 

6. What is known about the history of the tomato? 

7. What are its main botanical characteristics? 

8. How does it compare with other vegetables in food value? What 

is its chemical composition? 

2. Selecting location. — The tomato msiy be grown success- 
fully in any fertile garden soil, provided it is well drained. Soils 
containing considerable sand are especially valuable in growing 
the early crop, but most excellent yields are obtained from even 
the very heavy types of soil. The lighter soils, however, are 
easier to work, and, if available, should be chosen in preference to 
heavy clay loams. 

If tomatoes are grown on the same land year after year, de- 
structive diseases will soon appear. It is important, therefore, to 
grow tomatoes in rotation with other vegetables, or preferably in 
rotation with general farm crops. 

It is important to bear in mind that the tomato is a "tender " 
vegetable, and that the plants grow and fruit better on southern 
exposures affording protection from hard winds, than on cold 
northern or western slopes. 

1. What soil is best for tomatoes ? 

W-VG : 452. Tra : 33-37. 

2. Have you a suitable soil for growing tomatoes? Describe it. 



SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 



41 



3. Should tomatoes be grown in the same soil year after year? 

W-VG : 473. L : 83. C : 4. 

4. Does the soil which you have selected need drainage ? How 

do you know ? 

5. What is the best exposure of the land for growing tomatoes ? 

6. What are the advantages of sandy soils f W-VG : 25. 

7. * What are the disadvantages of heavy, clay soils f 



3. Choosing varieties. — Great progress has been made in the 
development of varieties. There are now so many good varieties 
that it is often difficult to decide which are best for a particular 
purpose. 

Varieties differ in vigor and habit of growth (Tra : 97-111). 
For example, the plants of the Stone, an old well-known 
sort, are vigorous and 
spreading, those of 
the Earliana are not 
so vigorous, and the 
plants of a variety 
like Dwarf Stone are 
vigorous and upright 
in habit of growth. 

Some varieties, as 
the Earliana, mature 
early, while others, as 
the Stone, mature late. Again, varieties differ in the color of the 
fruit. Red kinds predominate ; there are many pink and purple- 
fruited varieties and a few yellow ones. 

Among the early varieties, Earliana is the best known and the 
most largely grown. The plants are productive, fruits are red in 




Fig. 2. — Bonny Best tomato, an excellent type for 
commercial gardening, largely grown under glass. 



42 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

color, and they ripen as early as any other variety. Bonny Best 
is a better variety in some respects than Earliana, but it begins 
to ripen several days later. The fruits are red, solid, and of good 
size. Chalk's Jewel is somewhat similar to Bonny Best. It is a 
red tomato of large size. June Pink is a popular early pink sort, 
and Globe is a pink, medium early tomato that has made many 
friends. 

Of the large red varieties. Stone and Matchless are the most 
popular. Beauty and Trucker's Favorite are excellent pink sorts. 

Earliana, Bonny Best, and Matchless, planted early and at 
the same time, should give a succession of fruit from early in July 
until frost kills the plants in the fall. 

There are many other varieties of merit, but we should select 
those which produce large crops of smooth, solid tomatoes, and 
which are liked by the family or by the market to be supplied. 

1. What varieties are preferred by your local market? 

2. What varieties are liked best by your family ? 

3. What varieties should be selected for a succession of fruits ? 

4. Select varieties that you will plant. Give reasons for their 

selection. 

5. Name the leading early varieties. 

W-VG : 454. C : 442. 

6. Name the leading late varieties. 

W-VG : 455. C : 442. 

7. Classify by color the varieties tHat you know. 

8. What varieties are grown most largely for canning f 



SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 43 

4. Obtaining seed. — The greatest care should be exercised in 
procuring seed. Inferior seed is often the cause of a poor crop. 
Saving home-grown seed is common. It is an exceedingly inter- 
esting proposition and might be tried in a limited way even by 
beginners. Selections should be made from healthy plants, bear- 
ing a heavy crop of large, well-shaped tomatoes. The cluster of 
fruit shown in Fig. 2 is of the type from which seed should be 
selected. The actual saving and curing of tomato seed is a simple 
matter. Only ripe specimens should be chosen. They are cut 
or broken and placed in any convenient vessel. Fermentation 
will soon loosen the mucilaginous covering of the seeds. It is 
well to stir the mass of pulp and seeds several times until the cov- 
ering of the seeds is loose, then the seeds are readily separated from 
the pulp by washing. The pulp and light seeds rise to the top of 
the water and are poured off. A few changes of water will result 
in clean seed, which should then be spread on a cloth to dry before 
being stored. Any living room will furnish suitable conditions 
for storing tomato seed. If the seed is not saved at home, it 
should be purchased from reputable dealers, and the order should 
be placed as early in the year as possible. An ounce of tomato 
seed should produce at least 4,000 plants. 

1. Where can you buy good seed of the varieties selected ? 

2. How much seed will you need for your tomato project? 

3. Is it desirable to buy a surplus for next year ? If so, why ? 

4. How and where should tomato seed he stored? 

5. Does it pay to save seed at home? Whe7i and why? 

W-VG : 456. W-VG : 92. W-VG : 96. L : 16. 



44 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

6. How should tomato seed he selected, cleaned, and stored? 

W-VG: 97-99. L: 17. Tra : 112. 

7. Hoio many years will tomato seed retain its vitality f 

5. Constructing the hotbed. — In northern sections, toma- 
toes are always started where there is at least some artificial heat. 
In thousands of homes a sunny window serves the purpose, but 
a well-constructed hotbed has special advantages. Whether the 
tomatoes are wanted for market or for the home table, earliness 
is an exceedingly important factor. 

The hotbed should be located near the residence, if possible, 
for it may require attention several times a day. It should also 
be near an abundant supply of water. Any protection afforded 
by buildings, trees, fences, or hills on the north or northwest will 
be a great advantage. Southern and southeastern exposures are 
preferred. Good soil drainage is also essential. 

The hotbed pit should be dug in the fall before the ground is 
frozen to any considerable depth. It should be dug so that the 
sash will slope to the south or southeast. The depth of the pit 
will depend largely on the severity of the climate and the time the 
seed is to be sown. Two feet of manure, or a pit about two feet 
deep, is entirely satisfactory, for most sections of the North. 

The frame may be built of wood, concrete, brick, or stone. 
Home gardeners generally line the pit with plank or boards and 
construct a wooden frame for the top. The upper or north side 
of the frame should be about 6 inches higher than the lower or 
south side. If the hotbed is to be used year after year, a concrete 
frame will be found more economical. 

The standard hotbed sash is 3x6 feet in size, and the smaller 
hotbeds are generally made to accommodate either two or four 
sashes, thus being 6x6 feet or 6x12 feet in size. It is a simple 
matter to paint and glaze the sash at home. 



SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 45 

Horse manure is used almost exclusively for the making of hot- 
beds. It should be fresh and in the proportion of about two 
parts of solid excrement to one part of straw litter. (Shavings 
manure is unsatisfactory because it does not ferment rapidly 
enough.) The horse manure should be kept under cover in a square 
compact pile about 4 feet high, until heating or fermentation is well 
started. The piles should be turned and restacked when the 
fermentation is well under way and perhaps turned the second 
time before the manure is placed in the pit. Several days to a 
week may be required to prepare the manure properly for the pit. 
If it is too dry to heat satisfactorily, a few sprinkling cans of hot 
water may be added to advantage. The mistake should not be 
made of filling the pit until practically the entire mass of manure 
is thoroughly hot. 

It is important to tramp and pack the manure as it is forked 
into the pit. The manure will settle several inches and allowance 
should be made for this. If the seed is to be sown without the use 
of flats or plant boxes, the manure should be covered with 4 to 6 
inches of good soil, but 2 inches will be sufficient if flats are em- 
ployed. Some growers do not use any soil on the manure, if the 
plants are started in boxes, but place the boxes directly on top of 
the manure. The frame of the hotbed should be kept banked to 
the top with strawy horse manure. 

1. What are the advantages of a hotbed ? 

W-VG : 103. L : 60. C : 57. 

2. Where should the hotbed be located ? W-VG : 104. 

3. What should be the depth of the hotbed pit ? When should 

it be dug? 
W-VG: 105. Tra: 51. 



46 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

4. How should the frame be constructed ? 

W-VG : 106. L : 63. 

5. Prepare estimate of lumber and nails needed to build your 

hotbed. 

6. What size sash will you use ? 

7. What size hotbed will you need for your tomato project? 

8. How much and what kind of manure will be required for your 

hotbed? 
W-VG : 109. L : 60-62. C : 57. 

9. Explain the preparation of the manure for the hotbed. 

W-VG: 110. 

10. Explain the filling of the pit, 

W-VG: 110. L: 60-62. 

11. How much soil should be placed on top of the manure? 

12. How can you determine when the temperature of the hotbed 

and of the manure is suitable for sowing ? 

13. Should any manure be placed outside of the frame ? Why ? 

14. What chemical changes take place in the fermentation of horse 

manure f 

15. To what extent can other vegetable matter besides horse manure 

be employed in the making of a hotbed ? 

16. Explain the construction of concrete hotbed frames. 

6. Construction of cold frames. — The cold frame is generally 
built on top of the ground, or perhaps a slight excavation is made, 



SOLANACEOUS CHOP PUOJECTS 



47 



but it is seldom that heat is provided, hence the name " cold 
frame." Extensive commercial growers often heat their frames 
with steam or hot water pipes, but in these instances the word 
" frame " is more properly applied than the term " cold frame." 




Fig. 3. — A well-constructed cold frame with narrow strips nailed on the cross 
pieces. A small hotbed back of the cold frame. 



Cold frames, like hotbeds, should be located near the residence 
and near water, and there should be as thorough protection as 
possible from hard, cold winds. 

The ground should be graded level before the frame is placed. 
This precaution is necessary from the standpoint of thorough and 
uniform watering. 

If the tomato plants are to be set directly in the soil of the cold 
frame, special care should be taken in the preparation of the soil. 
(See page 63.) 



48 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



The tomato seedlings should be kept in the hotbed until they 
are four or five weeks old and then transplanted, utilizing all of 
the hotbed as well as the cold frame. 




Fig. 4. — Cold frame well ventilated ; board fence construcied lor windbreak. 

1. Where will you locate the cold frame ? 

W-VG : 14. L : 58. 

2. How will you construct the frame ? 

W-VG: 114-117. L: 66. C: 55-57. 

3. How will you prepare the soil? W-VG : 117. 

4. Estimate material required to build the cold frame for your 

tomato project. 



7. Making plant boxes. — When hotbeds and cold frames are 
employed in the starting of early vegetables, plant boxes, com- 
monly called *' flats," are practically indispensable. They are so 



SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 49 

convenient and have so many advantages that gardeners who 
have once used them do not care to grow plants without them. 
One of the greatest advantages is that all of the work of seed sow- 
ing and transplanting of the seedlings can be done in a warm, com- 
fortable room, regardless of weather conditions, and then the 
flats may be quickly conveyed to the hotbed or cold frame. When 
the plants are ready for the field or garden, it is again convenient 
to place the flats on a vehicle and transport them to the area where 
the plants are wanted. 

Any kind of thin lumber may be used in making flats. Chest- 
nut is very durable and with proper care the flats will last several 
years. Many gardeners make flats from various kinds of wooden 
boxes that may be obtained from retail merchants. Flats should 
be made of such dimensions that they will fit in the hotbed or cold 
frame with practically no loss of space. They are usually 2 to 3 
inches deep ; the length and width are extremely variable, though 
IGXllJ is a convenient size. 

Flats when not in use should be kept under cover. They should 
be looked over annually and repaired whenever they need atten- 
tion. 

1. Do you intend to use flats in starting your early tomato plants ? 

2. What are the advantages of flats? W-VG : 152. 

3. What kind of lumber may be used in making flats ? 

W-VG: 152. 

4. What should be their dimensions for use in your hotbed and 

cold frame ? 

5. How many flats will be required to start your tomato plants ? 



50 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

6. Estimate lumber and nails required to make the flats you will 

need. 

7. What are the relative merits of deep and shallow flats? 

8. How should flats be cared for when not in use? 

9. What does it cost to make flats ? 

8. Making straw mats. — Protection in addition to glass sash 
is often necessary on both hotbeds and cold frames. Of the vari- 
ous devices used for this purpose, rye straw mats are the most 
satisfactory. Either hand- or machine-made mats may be pur- 
chased from dealers or seed supply houses, or they may be made 
by hand at home. They are usually 4j feet wide X 7 feet long, 
and from If to 2 inches thick. When not in use, mats should be 
kept in a dry place where rats and mice cannot damage them. 

Straw mats may be made at home as follows : Make a frame 
of 2x4 inch planks the size of the mats desired. Drive heavy 
nails along one end of the frame about 6 inches apart. Strong 
cord, preferably tar cord such as is used for baling corn fodder, 
is the most durable tying material for use in the making of straw 
mats. A piece of cord is tied to each nail, stretched the length 
of the frame, then drawn through a loop of temporary cord on 
the inside of the opposite end of the frame, and pulled tightly. 
Two bundles of rye straw, each of a size that can be held con- 
veniently between the thumb and finger, are then placed across 
the cords at the end of the frame, with the tops overlapping 
in the middle. The loose ends of the cords, which should be 
wrapped on spools, are drawn around the straw bundles and under 
the tightly stretched cords, making half-knots and drawn tightly ; 
two more lots of straw are then placed on the cords and the oper- 
ation repeated until the other end of the frame is reached, where 
the ends of the cords are tied together. The making of the 



SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 



51 



mats is completed by trimming the butts of straw along both 
sides of the frame. While the mat is being made, the frame 
should be stood on end and leaned against the side of room or 
building. 

1. Will you need mats to protect your plants in the hotbed ? Why ? 

In the cold frame ? Why ? W-VG : 154. 

2. Explain the making of straw mats. 

3. How should mats be handled and stored in order to make them 

last for the longest possible period ? 

4. Describe other kinds of mats that might be made or bought. 

9. Sowing seed. — Soil for the starting of tomato plants should 
be stored in the fall of the year, so that it will not be in a frozen 




Fig. 5. — Firming the soil in preparation for seed sowing. 



52 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



condition when wanted for use the following spring. Any good 
garden soil will be suitable for this purpose. It should contain 
considerable organic matter, commonly called humus, and a 
liberal proportion of sand. Market gardeners often prepare the 




--—^ -^^ ,.f gi^-.:»;;-.'x..-- . ^ -r-«^^MBMmia5^s^i2L>.,...gsas^ 



Fig. 6. — - Marking the rows for seed sowing. 

soil for the starting of plants by mixing about two parts of soil 
with one part of sand and one part of manure. Two to three 
pints of air-slaked lime to each bushel of soil will be found to be 
an advantage. 

If the student will keep in mind that oxygen, heat, and moisture 
are required for the germination of all kinds of seed, he will be more 
likely to make a seed bed that will provide suitable conditions 
for germination. 

The proper amount of moisture is especially important. This 
matter should have careful attention even before the seeds are 



SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 



53 



sown. Very dry soil may be quickly and easily moistened by 
sprinkling as it is turned or shoveled over. 

As previously stated (W : 48) flats are very convenient for start- 
inj^^ all kinds of early vegetable plants. Most growers prefer to 




Fig. 



Sowing seed from an envelope. 



SOW the seed in rows rather than broadcast. The rows should be 
about two inches apart and the furrows one fourth to one half inch 
deep. It is customary to make the furrows with a straight, nar- 
row strip of wood, such as a piece of lath, or marker (Fig. 6), 
which should be slightly shorter than the width of the flat. The 
seed should be carefully distributed in the furrow at the rate of 
about 12 seeds to the inch. Sowing may be done rapidly and uni- 
formly with an envelope, held as shown in Fig. 7, or the seed may 
be distributed by taking a few at a time between the fingers. 
After the furrows are closed in any way most convenient to the 
gardener, the soil should be firmed with a block of wood and then 



54 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

thoroughly watered. If the seed box is covered with heavy paper, 
evaporation will take place slowly and germination will be has- 
tened. 

The time of sowing will de})end on the climate, varieties selected, 
and purpose of the crop. In most sections of the North, about 
March 1 to 10 will be found as early as it is expedient to sow in 
hotbeds. If Earliana, Bonny Best, Chalk's Jewel, and Matchless 
are sown at this time, a succession of fruit should be available from 
early in July until frost occurs in the fall. 

1. What steps are necessary in selecting, storing, and preparing 

soil for starting early vegetable plants? W-VG : 130-131. 

2. Explain sowing of seed in fiats. 

L : 244. W-VG : 133, 134, 151, 154, 456-458. Tra : 59-60. 

3. Are you certain that your seed will grow ? Why ? 

4. What is the proper time for you to sow ? 

W-VG: 131. W-VG: 456-458. L: 244. 

5. How many fiats must be sown to start enough plants for your 

tomato project? 

6. What percentage of the seed should grow ? How do you know ? 

7. What are the requirements for germination ? 

8. What is meant by the term " viable " f 

9. What chemical changes occur in the germination of seeds? 

10. Caring for the seedlings. — The most important factor 
in the growing of good tomato plants is the supply of soil moisture. 



SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 55 

This must be carefully regulated by intelligent watering. If the 
soil was thoroughly watered after the seeds were sown, and cov- 
ered with paper or burlap, little, if any, additional water will 
be needed until the plants are up, when the cover must be removed. 
Then the policy should be merely to keep the soil moist. Over- 
watering is always dangerous and should be carefully guarded 
against, for a surplus of water, especially if the temperature is a 
little high, is certain to result in weak, spindling plants. At the 
same time, we should guard against merely wetting the surface of 
the ground at frequent intervals. The boxes or beds should be 
looked after daily and water supplied in such amounts as may be 
indicated by the soil itself and also by the size and color of the 
plants — a light green color showing that too much water has 
been used. When paper pots are used, special care should be taken 
to avoid overwatering. It is always preferable to water in the 
morning when the temperature of the hotbed is rising, rather than 
in the evening when it is falling. 

A temperature of about 70 degrees during the day and 10 to 
15 degrees lower at night is suitable for the growing of early to- 
mato plants. If there is bright sunshine, the temperature may 
rise considerably above 70 degrees, but no harm will be caused if 
the frame is properly ventilated. 

Good judgment should be exercised in ventilating the hotbed 
and cold frame. Too much ventilation is just as objectionable 
as too little. The grower should observe the thermometer at 
frequent intervals and the frame should be opened in such a way 
as to avoid cold drafts of air on the plants. 

Straw mats or other devices for covering the sash at night will 
be required to protect the plants. They should be placed on the 
sash before dark and removed early in the morning. However, 
the use of the mats should be regulated entirely by weather con- 
ditions. There are extremely cold days in the North when the 
mats should not be removed at all. 



56 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 




Fig. 8. — Equipment and material for making paper pots. 




Fig. 9. — Folding the paper around the block which is secured to the bottom of a 

flat. 



SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 



57 




Fig. 10. — The paper is being folded over the top of the block in preparation for 

the use of a tack. 




Fig. 11. — Driving a small tack through the folds of paper and over the end of a 
bolt that extends through the block. 



58 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

1. What are the most important considerations in watering? 

L: 68. 

2. What is the proper temperature for tomato plants ? 

W-VG: 155. Tra: 62. i 

3. How should the hotbed or cold frame be ventilated ? 

W-VG: 157. L: 67. 

4. Determine the equipment needed for watering. 
6. Explain the use of mats. 

11. Making paper pots. — Paper pots have been found to be 
very convenient and satisfactory for the growing of early plants, 
especially tomatoes. Though they are sold by dealers at reason- 
able prices, very good ones may be made at home at slight ex- 
pense. A rectangular strip of fairly heavy paper, of the size 
required to make the pots desired, is folded around a square block, 
which is bolted through the center to a table. The paper is then 
folded in and clinched in the center with a single upholstering 
tack driven over the end of the bolt. (Ordinary heavy wrapping 
paper will be found entirely satisfactory for this purpose.) Plants 
grown in paper pots may be transferred to the open ground with- 
out any disturbance of the roots. The pots may be made during 
the winter in sufficient number to meet the needs of the spring 
planting. 

1. What are the advantages of paper pots ? W-VG : 160. 

2. How are paper pots made ? W-VG : 160. 

3. Shall you use paper pots in your tomato project? If so, how 

many will be needed? What will they cost? 



SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 



59 



12. Transplanting. — There are various reasons for trans- 
planting tomato plants. Perhaps the most important is the 
economy of space. A hotbed of very large size would be required 
to start enough plants for even an acre of land, if we sowed the 
seed thinly enough to provide space for the best development of 
the plants. In fact, it is not feasible to attempt to grow tomatoes, 




Fig. 12. — Tomato plants in a paper and an earthen pot. Though paper pots are 
very useful, plants seem to thrive better in earthen pots. 



especially under northern conditions, without shifting the plants 
once or twice before they are set in the field. 

Tomatoes are generally transplanted when they are three to 
four weeks old. If they do not crowd each other too much in the 
hotbed, more time may be allowed. When they are to be trans- 
ferred to cold frames, it is better to regulate the time of sowing 
and transplanting so that the plants will not be ready for the 
frame very much before the middle of April, though much will 



60 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



depend on climatic conditions. For the home project, the safer 
plan will be to transplant into a hotbed. In this event, no more 
than a foot of hot manure will provide as much heat as will be 
required. In most parts of the North, it is entirely safe to set 
tomato plants in cold frames by the middle of April. 
The same kind of flats that were described for seed sowing (W : 48 




Fig. 13. — Equipment for seed sowing and transplanting. 



and 53) will be found highly satisfactory when transplanting. 
The plants should be set about two inches apart. If they are to be 
kept in the frames more than two or three weeks, it will be a great 
advantage to make another shift into flats, spacing the plants at 
least four inches apart. Or, the second shift may be made into 
paper or earthen pots, berry baskets, or other suitable devices. 

A transplanting board is an exceedingly useful device. It is 
made of inch boards large enough to cover the flats to be em- 
ployed. Half-inch holes are bored in check rows two inches apart, 



SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 61 

and a dibber with a shoulder, to regulate depth, is used to make 
the holes in the soil by thrusting it through the holes of the trans- 
planting board. The rows of plants will then be perfectly straight 
and the number of plants in each flat will be uniform. 

The soil described for the seed bed (W : 52) will also be satis- 
factory for this purpose. It should be fine and moist enough to 
work well. The most important point to keep in mind when 
transplanting is that, in order to make this operation successful, 
the moist particles of soil must be brought into close contact with 
the fine, tender roots. 

Unless the soil is very moist, at least some water should be 
applied after the plants have been set, and the flats must then be 
placed in the hotbed or cold frame, where they should receive 
practically the same treatment as that recommended for the 
small seedlings (W : 54). 

1. What are the reasons for transplanting tomatoes? 

W-VG : 139. L : 49. 

2. When should tomato seedlings be transplanted? 

W-VG : 155. L : 49. 

3. How far apart should the plants be set? 

4. Explain the details of transplanting. 

5. Prepare a statement of the equipment required to care for your 

tomato plants after they have been removed from the hotbed. 

6. Do you think flats should he used 2vhen transplanting f Why f 

7. Will it pay to use a transplanting hoard? Why? 

8. Do you think any of your plants should he set in pots or berry 

hasketsf W-VG: 457. 



62 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 




Fig. 14. — Using the transplanting board. 




Fig 15 -Holes made by the use of a transplanting board and dibber; also a 
^' small dibber used in firming the soil about the roots. 



SOLANACROUS CROP PROJECTS 63 

9. What is the character of tomato roots f 

10. Is the root pruning caused by trans 2)lanti7ig small seedlings an 
advantage or a disadvantage? Why? 

13. Hardening the plants. — When tomato plants are kept in a 
warm forcing structure of any kind, with an abundant supply of 
soil moisture, they become very tender. If transferred to the 
open air when in such a succulent condition, they are easily in- 
jured or even killed by light frost, drying winds, or hot sunshine. 
Disastrous results from these causes may be avoided to a large 
extent by giving the plants a certain amount of ill treatment, so 
to speak, before they are transplanted into the open ground. 
Water is withheld after the plants have attained nearly the size 
desired, even if they wilt somewhat. Much more air is admitted 
to the frames, and on warm days the sashes are removed entirely. 
This kind of treatment for about a week has the tendency to make 
the plant tissues less succulent and more firm, so that they will 
stand rather severe weather conditions in the field. Millions of 
plants are lost annually because this matter is not given careful 
attention. Even the most thoroughly hardened tomato plants 
will not survive severe frosts, but they will stand light frosts, 
hard winds, and dry weather if properly planted. 

1. What is meant by the hardening of plants ? W-VG : 159. 

2. How is hardening accomplished ? W-VG : 159. 

3. What is its importance ? W-VG: 159. 

14. Preparing the garden soil. — There is an erroneous idea 
among growers of limited experience that this vegetable does not 
require high fertility. It is true that small crops of tomatoes 



64 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

may be obtained on soils that would fail to produce a marketable 
crop of celer}^ or other vegetables that require the most exacting 
conditions. But large yields may be secured only from soils well 
filled with plant food and organic matter. 

The tomato is often grown in rotation with other vegetables. 
A limited area of land may make this necessary. It is a great 
advantage, however, to precede the crop with clover, cowpeas, 
vetch, soybeans, or some other general farm crop, and preferably 
a legume that will add to the stock of nitrogen in the soil as well as 
to the supply of humus. A heavy sod of any kind of clover, 
plowed late in the fall or early in the spring, furnishes ideal soil 
conditions for the growing of tomatoes. It will be seen from 
these statements that the work of soil preparation may begin a 
year or more in advance of the actual planting of the tomatoes. 

A common mistake is to defer the plowing of the ground for 
tomatoes until nearly planting time, which may be the cause of a 
greatly reduced supply of soil moisture and of unfavorable physical 
conditions. 

A harrow should be used until the soil is fine and level. The 
heavy sods are best pulverized with a disk or cutaway harrow. 
In small gardens the soil may be put in good condition by thorough 
spading and careful raking. 

Fresh stable manures should never be employed for the grow- 
ing of tomatoes. Their application in considerable amounts is 
certain to result in excessive plant growth and a small crop of 
inferior fruit. Well-decayed animal manures of all kinds may be 
used for this crop with entire safety, and, if thoroughly decayed, 
there is practically no danger of applying too much. In only 
moderately fertile soils it is an advantage to place a shovelful of 
rotten manure in each hill. The usual plan is to apply fresh stable 
manure to the crop that precedes the tomato and little, if any, 
manure for the tomatoes. 

It is rarely that the grower will not find it an advantage to far- 



SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 65 

tilize the tomato with some form of phosphorus. The usual 
practice is to employ the treated phosphatic rock, acid phosphate, 
containing about 16% of available phosphoric acid. An applica- 
tion of 500 to 700 pounds to the acre is probably as much as can 
be used to advantage on any soil. If potash is available at reason- 
able prices, it might also be used at the rate of about 100 pounds 
to the acre. Nitrogen may also be needed, and, if so, nitrate of 
soda, 50 to 100 pounds to the acre, may be the cheapest source. 
Heavier applications of fertilizer are required with close setting 
and staking. 

All fertilizers should be applied after the ground is plowed, and 
mixed with the soil by thorough harrowing. Small amounts of 
nitrate of soda are sometimes used as a top dressing around the 
plants, but thoroughly mixed with the soil with a hoe or cultivator. 
A teaspoonful to each plant will be ample in quantity. The best 
method, however, is to apply all of the fertilizers before the plants 
are set in the field. 

1. Does the tomato require a very fertile soil ? 

W-VG : 458. C : 438. 

2. What crops should precede the tomato ? 

W-VG: 458. W-VG : 53. L: 27-30. . 

3. When should the land be plowed? 

W-VG : 458. W-VG : 29. V : 71-73. Sp : 39-45. 

4. What should be the depth of plowing ? 

5. What implements will you employ in preparing the soil ? 

W-VG : 30-34. C : 29-34. V : 63-74. 

6. Should fresh stable manure be applied for tomatoes? 

W-VG : 458. Sp : 102. 



66 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

7. Should you use phosphorus ? nitrogen ? potassium ? 

W-VG : 459-460, 59-62. C : 438-439. Tra : 43-45. 

Sp: 155-161. 

8. How and when should the fertilizer be applied ? 

W-VG : 499, 67-68. C : 438-439. Tra : 43-45. 

9. Estimate the fertilizer materials you will need and determine 

their cost. 

10. Will home mixing pay f How is it done f 

W-VG : 69. V : 215-218, 240-241. 

1 1 . Give the most important reasons for the rotation of crops. 

12. Discuss the time of plowing and harrowing in relation to soil 

moifiture problems. 

15. Planting in the garden. — We must not be too ambitious in 
regard to the early planting of tomatoes. We should never lose 
sight of the fact that this is a tender vegetable and that frost and 
cold weather may kill the plants or at least seriously injure them. 
The safer plan is to be patient and wait until there is little danger 
of frost before risking the plants in the open ground. In most 
sections of the North, it is unsafe to set out the plants before May 
20 ; even June 1 is not too late in some localities. If the plants 
are in the field or garden and there is danger of frost, a simple and 
effective method of protection is to cover them with soil. At first 
thought this may seem like rough treatment, but when we note 
the splendid condition of the uncovered plants the method appeals 
to us very strongly. It consists in drawing a mound of soil with a 
hilling hoe against the stem of the plant, carefully bending the 
plant over the mound and covering it with an inch or two of soil. 
The whole operation requires only a few moments to each plant. 
If the weather continues cool, the plants may be left covered for 
two or three days. 



SOLANACEOUS CHOP PROJECTS 67 

The proper planting distance will depend on a number of fac- 
tors, but ordinarily 4x4 feet will be found satisfactory. Less 
space may be allowed if the soil is not very productive. If the 
plants are to be tied to stakes and pruned to several stems, they 
may be set 2x4 feet apart, and if to be trained to single stems 
15 inches X 3 feet will give good results. 

The plants should be removed from the flats or pots with care, 
so that the roots will not be disturbed or broken unnecessarily. 
Holes amply large are made with a hoe, and the moist soil pressed 
firmly over and around the ball of earth and roots. If the plants 
are stocky and well hardened (W : 63) and properly transplanted, 
practically every one should live, even if the weather is not en- 
tirely favorable for transplanting. 

When growing tomatoes on a large scale it is more convenient 
and less expensive to make furrows for the plants with a plow 
instead of holes with a hoe. 

1. When should tomato plants be set in the open ground? 

W-VG : 141, 460. L : 49. 

2. How far apart should they be planted? 

W-VG : 460. 

3. What are the most important factors in transplanting? Name 

some good methods of transplanting. 
W-VG : 141-150. L: 49-57. 0:39-41. 

4. How may the plants be protected from frost ? 

16. Companion cropping. — When two or more vegetables are 
grown together on the same plot of ground, the system of crop- 
ping is known by various terms, such as companion cropping, 
double cropping, and intercropping. Tliere are so many success- 
ful combinations that no attempt will be made here to describe 
more than one plan, but we would urge the student grower to look 



68 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

into the matter. One of the best is to plant dwarf peas as early 
as possible in the spring, and then to set tomato plants three or four 
feet apart a few inches from the rows of peas. The peas, of course, 
will be well advanced before the tomato plants are set out and 
in a few weeks the pea vines may be pulled and the ground devoted 
exclusively to the tomatoes. 

1. What is meant by companion cropping? 

W-VG : 475. L : 260, 262. 

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of companion crop- 

ping f 
W-VG: 475. L:262. C : 5-6. 

3. Describe several combinations including the tomato. 

W-VG : 483, 484, 486. L : 261-262. 

4. Will it pay you to practice companion cropping? Why? 

17. Cultivation. — A fine, loose surface mulch of soil should 
be maintained in the tomato plantation as long as it is possible to 
use a cultivator between the rows. The importance of tillage has 
been shown in connection with plowing ( W : 64) . Not only do 
weeds grow when the cultivators are not used, but the soil soon 
becomes compact, soil moisture escapes at a rapid rate, and both 
the physical and chemical properties of the soil soon become un- 
favorable for plant growth. 

Numerous types of cultivators may be employed, but the ones 
with a relatively large number of small teeth are generally better 
than those with a few large shovels. Tomatoes are usually cul- 
tivated with horses, but the soil of the home garden may be stirred 
very rapidly with a good wheel hoe. 

Very little hand hoeing will be required if the wheel or horse- 
cultivators are used frequently and skillfully. 



SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 



69 




Fig. 16. — Inexpensive garden tools of special value. 




Fig. 17. — Hand tools useful for weeding, making furrows, and transplanting. 



70 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

1. What is the importance of cultivation? 

W-VG : 28. C : 2 1 . Tra : 76. Sp : 60-73. 

2. When and how often should tomatoes be cultivated? 

L : 246. 

3. What cultivating implements will you need? 

W-VG : 34-40. 

4. What is the relation of tillage to the conservation of soil mois- 

ture ? 

18. Training the plants. — An exceedingly small percentage of 
tomato growers give any attention whatever to training or pruning. 
The usual plan is to set the plants 3 to 5 feet apart each way and 
to let them make a spreading growth on the surface of the ground. 

A few commercial growers and many home gardeners prefer to 
set the plants about 2x4 feet apart. A strong stake 6 feet long 
is driven at each plant when it is set out, three or four of the 
strongest branches are tied to the stake, and the others are removed 
before they have made much growth. This is a highly satis- 
factory method. There is probably no curtailment in the yield 
of each plant and twice as many plants may be set to the acre 
as when they receive no training. We must be assured, of course, 
of the labor required to do the staking and training. 

Single stem training is universally employed in the greenhouse 
culture of the tomato, and it also finds favor among many home 
gardeners. It consists of pinching away all lateral shoots, thus 
making a single stem, which may be tied to a stake or to a wire 
trellis. The finest specimens are grown by the single stem system 
but it requires considerable labor. 

1. What ate the advantages and disadvantages in training tomatoes? 
W-VG: 461. L:246. Tra : 79. 



SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 71 

2. Describe the systems in common use. What are their comparative 

merits f 
W-VG : 461-463. L: 246-248. Tra: 79-89. W-VF: 
280-284. 

3. Will it pay to train your plants? If so, tvhat system mil you use? 

19. Combating insects and diseases. — The solanaceous crops, 
like other closely related groups, comprise a number of plants, 
which are attacked by the same species of insects. These indi- 




FiG. 18. — Tomato worm. 

viduals so readily adapt themselves to the different hosts that their 
habits are apparently unchanged and in each instance similar 
control measures are ordinarily practiced. 

The potato flea beetle is perhaps the most serious pest of the 
newly set tomato, pepper, and eggplant. Leaves riddled with very 
small round holes like fine shot, accompanied with small glistening 
black beetles that jump when disturbed, identify the insect and 
its work. 

The adult beetles pass the winter in rubbish, emerging in early 
spring to feed on plantain or similar weeds until the cultivated 
plants appear above ground or are transplanted. Eggs are de- 
posited in the soil near the plants and from these hatch very small 
grubs that feed on the roots, often causing serious injuries to 
tubers or stunting the plant growth. 

Control : Bordeaux mixture. CL : 317. 



72 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

1. Describe flea beetle work and how its feeding affects the plant. 

CL: 314-317. 

2. Name several plants attacked by the insect. 

CL : 314-315. 

3. What is the life history of the flea beetle ? 

CL : 314-316. 

4. Can flea beetles be killed by poison? What is the best spray 

and how does it act ? 
CL:317. 

5. How is Bordeaux mixture prepared? 

Two species of tomato worm, the southern tomato worm and its 
relative, the northern tomato worm, feed extensively on tomato 
plants or in a lesser degree on eggplant foHage throughout their 
respective areas. They are large greenish or brownish cater- 
pillars having at the rear end of the body a somewhat curved, 
sharp horn. Feeding by these caterpillars is most extensive on 
the tomato, where they work in the dense foliage, often detected 
only by excreted material covering the ground beneath the plant. 

The adult, an ashy gray moth, deposits single eggs on the under 
side of the leaves. From these the young caterpillars hatch and 
in about a month mature and enter the ground to pupate. There 
may be several generations each year, depending largely on sea- 
sonal conditions or the degree of latitude. 

Control : Hand picking or spraying. 

1. How can the tomato worm he most easily recogriizedf 

CL : 159. 

2. Give briefly the life history of the species. Describe any differences. 

CL: 169-171. 



SOLANACEOUS CHOP PROJECTS 73 

3. What injury do they came and how may it be detected? 

CL:171. 

4. Name two control measures. 

CL: 171-172. 



Tomatoes are subject to several diseases, such as early and 
late blight, which are the same as those that attack its closely 
related plant, the potato. Both the early blight and the late blight 
attack the foliage of the tomato, killing it and thus reducing the 
crop or causing complete loss. The late blight also attacks the 
fruit in the fall, causing it to decay in much the same manner 
that it causes decay of potato tubers. Another very common 
disease of tomatoes is known as Septoria leaf spot. This disease 
attacks not only the foliage but also the stems, causing a circular 
gray spot. It does not attack the fruit directly. These three 
diseases can be controlled by spraying the plants at a timely 
period and in a thorough manner with Bordeaux mixture. Various 
formulae of Bordeaux are effective as sprays for these diseases, 
but for general use the standard 4-4-50 formula is satisfactory. 
Spraying should be started as soon as the plants are established 
in the field. In the cooler climates two applications are most 
profitable for early blight and leaf spot. In the warmer climates 
below the Mason and Dixon line about five applications are more 
economical. Where late blight is a factor two or three late 
applications are necessary, starting when the first fruits are 
beginning to ripen. 

Winter blight is a destructive disease which is most commonly 
met with in growing tomatoes under glass. It produces a brown 
streaking of the stems and a fine, brown spotting of the leaves. 
The fruits are also attacked and exhibit a brownish, blotched 
appearance, which appears to be confined chiefly to the skin. 
The disease usually kills the plants within two or three weeks 



74 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

after they are attacked. It may be checked by thorough ventila- 
tion and avoidance of overwatering. The application of potash 
also seems to check the disease to some extent. Inasmuch as it 
is spread by infected seed, great care must be exercised in select- 
ing the fruits from which seed is to be taken. The diseased 
seeds may be detected by cutting open the ripened fruits and 
examining for brown or blackish spots. If spots are present on 
even a few seeds such fruits should be discarded. 

Damping off and root-rots are diseases caused by fungi, which 
live in the soil and attack the tomato plants while they are in 
the seedling stage or before they are fully established in the field. 
They are most destructive as seed-bed diseases and as such may 
be controlled by sterilizing the soil in the seed bed each year 
with steam or formaldehyde. They are most often brought on 
by overwatering the young plants, and the condition can be par- 
tially corrected by limiting the water supply. 

Wilt or sleepy disease is an extremely destructive disease which 
is most prevalent in the warmer climates. It is caused by a 
fungus, Fusarium lycopersici, which lives in the soil and attacks 
the plants through the roots. The vascular system of the plant 
is invaded and the supply of water thus limited, which causes 
the plants to wilt. Several strains of tomatoes have been 
developed which are highly resistant to this disease. Among 
such varieties are Marvel, Arlington, and Columbia, which are 
well worth growing where wilt is a factor in tomato production. 

There are several fruit rots that attack the tomato late in the 
season. They are caused by various fungi, which are favored in 
their attack by injuries that break the epidermis. Keeping 
the patch clean of old plant refuse and training the plants on 
stakes to keep the fruits off the ground are the best means for 
combating these troubles. 

Blossom end rot is a common disease, characterized by a dry 
decay, which always starts at the blossom end of the fruit. 



SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 75 

Unequal moisture content of the soil is the most common pre- 
disposing factor bringing on the disease. It is therefore advisable 
to regulate watering as carefully as possible. A light mulch or 
frequent cultivation tends to regulate the moisture content of the 
soil and lessen this trouble. 

1. What other crop do some of the diseases of tomato affect ? 

Why? 

2. Why do foliage diseases reduce the amount of fruit ? 

3. What diseases are controllable by spraying with Bordeaux ? 

4. How should winter blight be treated ? In what way may the 

seeds of tomatoes be selected to eliminate disease ? 

5. What conditions are favorable to the spread of the fungi 

causing '' damping off " ? 
SH: 14-21. 

6. What effect do steaming and formaldehyde treatment hate upon 

these organisms? 
SH: 460-465. 

7. What relationship exists between climate and certain tomato 

diseases f 

8. Of what value is sa?iitation in the control of disease f 

SH: 16-17 

9. What can be done to lessen the amount of blossom end rotf 

SH : 263-264. 



20. Harvesting and marketing. — Tomatoes are always better 
in quality if allowed to become fully ripe before they are picked. 
This is possible for the home table, but when the fruits are hauled 



76 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



or shipped considerable distances to market, it is important for 
them to be only partially ripe, depending upon the length of time 
that will probably intervene before they reach the table of the 
consumer. 

Tomatoes should always be handled with care in order that 
there may be no unnecessary bruising. If they are to be 




Fig. 19. — Assortment of parcel post packages. 



marketed, they should be thoroughly cleaned, preferably by 
wiping with a damp cloth ; their stems removed ; graded ; and 
packed neatly and artistically in clean, attractive packages. 

Many forms of packages are employed for marketing to- 
matoes. In most instances it is desirable to use the package 
preferred by the markets to be supplied. 

Probably the average yield of tomatoes in the United States 
is less than 100 bushels to the acre, but this is a very small crop 



SOLANACEOUS CHOP PROJECTS 77 

and intelligent growers ought to do much better. Thousands of 
gardeners obtain yields of much more than 100 bushels to the 
acre. In fact, 500 bushels, or 12 to 15 tons, to the acre is not an 
unusual yield, and with good management this is not a difficult 
achievement. 

1. When should tomatoes be picked ? 

W-VG : 162-165. C : 440-441. Tra : 90-92. 

2. How should they be prepared for market ? 

W-VG : 166-168. C : 441. Tra : 92-96. 

3. What is the best method of packing for your market? 

W-VG : 168-176. L : 292. C : 441. Tra : 92-96. 

4. How will you grade your tomatoes ? 

5. What kind and how many packages will you need to market 

your crop ? 

W-VG : 168-174. Manufacturers' catalogues. 

6. How many bushels or tons of tomatoes should an acre produce ? 

7. What does it cost per acre aud per ton to grow tomatoes f 

8. Can you suggest a special plan for marketing that might increase 

your profits f 

Project II. Growing Eggplants 

The eggplant is an annual herbaceous plant finally becoming 
somewhat woody. It belongs to the potato family. The leaves 
are simple, large, thick, and sinuately lobed. The fruit is a 
large berry, smooth, and variable in color. The genus is a native 
of India and all cultivated varieties require high temperature for 
satisfactory growth. 



78 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

1. To what plants is the eggplant related? 

2. What is the nature of the fruit of the eggplant ? 

3. What climatic condition is favorable for the growth of the egg- 

plant? 

Project Outline 

1. Importance of the crop. 

2. Selecting location. 

3. Choosing varieties. 

4. Starting plants. 

5. Preparing soil. 

6. Planting in the garden. 

7. Combating insects and diseases. 

8. Marketing. 

1. Importance of the crop. — The eggplant is not comparable 
in importance to the tomato, either for the home table or for 




Fig. 20, — New York Improved eggplant. 



market. Nevertheless, some people are extremely fond of this 
vegetable and good specimens generally command attractive prices. 



SOLAN ACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 79 

Market possibilities should be investigated before undertaking 
the culture of eggplants on a commercial scale. 

1. What is the importance of the eggplant f W-VG : 339. C : 259. 

2. Where is it grown most extensively? 

3. Do you think it would pay you to grow eggplaiits f Why f 

4. What is the history of the eggplant f 

5. How does it differ from the tomato hotanicallyf 

6. How is it prepared for the table? 

7. Dissect and carefully study the fruit. 

2. Selecting location. — The eggplant is far more exacting in 
its cultural requirements than the tomato. It demands higher 
temperatures for the best results and thrives only in well-drained 
soils fully supplied with vegetable matter and plant food. Sandy 
loams are best adapted to the growing of eggplants. In the North, 
where the climate is not ideal for this crop, special care must be 
exercised in the selection of the most suitable soils. 

1. What kind of soil is best adapted to growing eggplants ? 

2. What are the climatic requirements ? 

3. What is the best exposure ? 

W-VG: 340. L:251. C:261. 

3. Choosing varieties. — Eggplants may be almost black in 
color, or purple or white. The most popular market varieties are 
New York Improved, Black Beauty, Black Pekin, and Early 



80 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

Long Purple. The last-named variety is very early and suitable 
for cultivation under conditions which would be most unfavorable 
for the later larger-fruited sorts. 

1. How do eggplants vary in size, color, shape, and earliness? 

W-VG:339. L:252. C : 260-261. 

2. What varieties do you think it will be best for you to grow ? 

W-VG : 339. C : 260-261 . Seed catalogues. 

4. Starting plants. — Eggplants are started and handled very 
much in the same manner as tomato plants, but they require at 
least 10 degrees higher temperature in order to insure rapid 
growth. The plants cannot be cared for satisfactorily in cold frames 
and unless a greenhouse is available it is necessary to have 
two hotbeds, one for the germination of the seed and care of the 
very young plants, and the other, made about four weeks later, 
to accommodate the plants after they have been removed from the 
seed bed. The seed is ordinarily sown from March 1 to 15 and the 
plants are often shifted to pots before they are taken to the field. 

1. What equipment is needed to start the plants ? W : 43-58. 

2. When should the seed be sown? 

W-VG: 341. L:251. C:261. 

3. What temperature is required ? 

W-VG: 341. L:251. C:261. 

5. Preparing the soil. — The greatest care should be taken in 
preparing the soil for eggplants. There should be no doubt about 
the soil having an abundance of vegetable matter and available 
plant food. 

1. How should the soil be prepared for eggplants ? 
W:79. W-VG: 342. C:261. 



SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 



81 




82 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



6. Planting in the garden. — Eggplants should not be set in the 
open ground until the weather is quite warm and there is no 
further danger of frosts. In most sections of the North, it is not 
desirable to plant in the field before June 1. They should be 
shifted with as little disturbance of the roots as possible. 




Fig. 22. — The two wilted eggplants have been treated with too much commercial 
fertilizer. The safer plan is to fill the pots with soil well enriched by the use 
of decayed manure and not to apply any chemical fertilizer as top dressing. 

1. When should eggplants be set in the garden? 

W-VG : 341-342. L:251. 

2. How far apart should they be planted? 



7. Combating insects. — Potato beetles and flea beetles are 
the most destructive enemies of the eggplant and they may be 
controlled by the methods generally employed for these pests. 

1. What insects and diseases attack the eggplant and how may 
they be controlled ? W : 217. L : 253. 



SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 83 

8. Marketing. — The fruits should be packed in clean, attrac- 
tive crates or baskets. Sometimes they are wrapped in tissue 
paper. 

1. How should eggplants be marketed? 

2. What are the chances for profit ? 

Project III. Growing Peppers 

Peppers belong to the potato family. In cultivation the com- 
mon pepper behaves as an annual, but in warm climates it is often 
biennial. The species is not known in the wild state, but it is 
generally believed to be a native of tropical America. 

Peppers form erect plants that may become woody at the base. 
The leaves are comparatively small and entire. The fruit is a 
berry, red, yellow, or green in color, and varying in shape from 
globular to heart-shaped and cylindrical. The seeds are numerous. 
The principle imparting the pungent taste is known as capsaicin, 
which is located in the smaller varieties in the fleshy part of the fruit 
and in the larger ones chiefly about the seeds. Cayenne pepper 
is made by grinding up the whole fruit. In the squash varieties, 
which are used as " mangoes," the fleshy part of the fruit is of a 
mild flavor. Peppers are used as condiments and food, and some 
varieties are used for ornamental purposes. The numerous com- 
mercial varieties may be placed in seven botanical varieties or 
types, distinguished especially by the size, shape, and other char- 
acteristics of the fruit. 

1. What is meant by the terms annual and biennial as applied to 

plants ? 

2. How do pepper fruits vary ? 

3. Where is the peppery taste located ? 



84 VEGETABLE GUOWING PROJECTS 

Project Outline 

1. Importance of crop. 

2. Selecting location. 

3. Choosing varieties. 

4. Starting plants. 

5. Preparing soil. 

6. Planting in the garden. 

7. Harvesting and marketing. 

1. Importance of the crop. — The pepper is becoming of in- 
creasing importance in all sections of the country. There is a 
large demand for the sweet-fruited type, commonly called mangoes, 
which sells at prices that entitle the crop to serious consideration 
from a commercial viewpoint. While it thrives best in the South 
and in the light soils of the Atlantic Coast region, it may be grown 
successfully throughout the North. 

1. Will it pay you to grow this crop for commercial purposes? 

How do you know ? W-VG : 414. C : 341. 

2. Where would you sell it? 

3. How does it differ botanically from the tomato and eggplant? 

4. What is the history of the pepper? 

5. Make a careful study of the fruit. 

2. Selecting location. — The deep, fertile, light, sandy loams 
are best adapted to the growing of peppers. However, they may 
be grown successfully in all well-drained soils that are properly 
provided with organic matter and plant food. 

1. Have you a suitable location for peppers? If so, what are its 
advantages? W -VG : 414. 



SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 



85 



3. Choosing varieties. — Peppers are divided into two classes, 
namely, those which hear small, pungent, hot fruits and those 
which produce large, mild fruits. Long Red Cayenne and True 
Red Chili are probably the best known of the former type and 




Fig. 23. — Peppers are erect in habit of growth and may be planted fairly close 

together. 

Ruby King, Chinese Giant, and Neapolitan are favorites in the 
sweet class. 

1. What varieties would you select ? Why ? 

W-VG : 415. Seed catalogues. 

2. How do peppers vary in size, shape, color, and pungency? 



4. Starting plants. — The plants are started in the same manner 
as tomatoes, but they do not grow so rapidly and for this reason 



86 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

it is desirable to sow somewhat earlier than tomatoes. The seed 
is slow to germinate. 

1. How should the plants be started ? W : 44-63. 

2. Will it pay to grow them in pots? Why? Or, why not? 

W : 58. 

5. Preparing soil. — The soil should be prepared with the same 
care and thoroughness as for a heavy crop of tomatoes. 

1. How should the soil be prepared and fertilized for this crop? 
W : 63. 

6. Planting in the garden. — The plants should not be set in 
the garden until there is no further danger of frost. They should 
be spaced 15 to 18 inches apart in the row and there should be 
not less than 30 inches between rows if a horse cultivator is to be 
used. 

1. When should peppers be planted in the garden ? 

W:66. W-VG:416. 

2. What are the proper planting distances? W-VG : 416. 

7. Harvesting and marketing. — Peppers do not require the 
prompt harvesting necessary with tomatoes. Sometimes the 
market wants them in a green state. At other times the ripe, 
well-colored fruits are preferred, especially in the smaller markets. 
It is fortunate that the fruits do not deteriorate rapidly after they 
have attained full size. 

The well-ripened specimens are so handsome that they offer 
special inducements for fancy methods of marketing. Small, 
white baskets, lined with colored tissue paper, may be used to 
advantage and, if desired, each specimen may be wrapped in very 
thin transparent paper. 



SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 87 

1. When should peppers be picked? W VG :416. 

2. What packages are desirable for marketing peppers ? 

3. Explain the packing of peppers for market. 

4. What is a good yield of peppers to the acre f 

5. How are peppers utilized and served on the table? 



CHAPTER THREE 

COLE CROP PROJECTS 

Cabbage, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Collard, Broccoli 

The cole crops, named above, are classed as hardy vegetables 
because they are not injured by frost. Well-hardened plants 
stand considerable freezing. They grow best in a cool, humid 
climate and in moist, fertile soils. 

Cabbage and cauliflower are treated in separate projects. 
Brussels sprouts may be of sufficient importance in some localities 
to justify their selection for a home project. In this event. Project 
IV, Growing Cabbage, will be found helpful and might be followed 
in most of the details of culture. More specific information re- 
lating to the culture of this crop will be found in W-VG : 253-254, 
L:130, C : 159-161, A : 86-89. 

The collard and broccoli are of little importance. They are 
discussed briefly in W-VG, L, C, and A. 

Project IV. Growing Cabbage 

The cabbages belong to the mustard family, a large group with 
about 2000 species. In this family belong also other crop plants, 
such as cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, collard, turnip, 
radish, white mustard, etc. The members of the mustard family 
are widely distributed over the world in both southern and north- 
ern countries and both low and high altitudes. The wild form, 
which is supposed to have given rise to the cultivated varieties 
of cabbage, is a native of Europe. By modifications of the leaves 

and buds, ordinary cabbage and brussels sprouts have been de- 

88 



COLE CROP PROJECTS 89 

veloped ; by modifications of the flower clusters cauliflower and 
broccoli have been produced. All of these plants are regarded as 
different varieties of a single species. 

Common head cabbage is in reality a huge terminal bud in 
which large thick leaves overlap to form the bud. The central 
stem is short. This is the only growth produced the first year. 
The root is a typical tap root, solid and more or less woody. Elon- 
gated clusters of yellow flowers are produced the second season. 
The seeds are produced in elongated pods. 

There are several types of common cabbage, based upon color, 
size, shape of head, character of leaves, and time of maturing. 

1. To what family does the cabbage belong and what are some 

of its near relatives ? 

2. What sort of structure is a cabbage head ? 

3. What kind of root system does cabbage have ? 

4. When are the seeds produced ? 

Project Outline 

1. Why grow cabbage ? 

2. Selecting location. 

3. Choosing varieties. 

4. Obtaining seed. 

5. Constructing the hotbed. 

6. Constructing the cold frame. 

7. Making plant boxes. 

8. Making straw mats. 

9. Sowing for the early crop. 

10. Caring for the seedlings. 

11. Transplanting. 



90 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

12. Hardening the plants. 

13. Growing late plants. 

14. Preparing the garden soil. 

15. Planting in the garden. 

16. Companion cropping. 

17. Cultivating. 

18. Combating insects and diseases. 

19. Harvesting and marketing. 

20. Storing the late crop. 

1. Why grow cabbage ? — Cabbage is one of the most impor- 
tant of the vegetable crops. It is seldom omitted in the home 
garden and enormous quantities are grown for commercial pur- 
poses. There are well-known cabbage-growing districts in various 
parts of the North, and millions of crates of early cabbage are 
shipped to the North annually from the southern states. It is 
also one of the leading crops of market gardeners and truckers 
who are operating near all of our larger centers of population. 

1. Will it pay you to grow cabbage ? Early or late? 

2. Are markets available where you can sell your crop? 

3. What is the commercial importance of cabbage f C : 161. 

4. In what parts of the country is early cabbage most largely grown? 

Late cabbage? 

5. What is known about the history of cabbage? 

6. What are its chief botanical characteristics? 

2. Selecting location. — Cabbage has been grown successfully 
on the greatest diversity of soil types. The sandy loams are un- 
questionably the best adapted to growing an early crop, while the 



COLE CROP PROJECTS 



91 



moist, fertile, heavy loams are preferred for the late crop. There 
can be no doubt about the necessity of an abundant supply of soil 
moisture and available plant food. Southern or southeastern 
slopes possess special advantages for the production of a very early 
crop. 

1. What kind of soil is best for early cabbage ? For late cabbage ? 

W-VG:265. 0:164. A : III-IV. R:28. 

2. Do you have a suitable location for growing either early or late 

cabbage ? Describe its soil and exposure. 

3. What is the character of the soils in the most important cabbage- 

growing districts of the country f 

4. What is the character of the soil in your neighborhood where 

cabbage is grown? 



3. Choosing varieties. — There are numerous groups and 
varieties of cabbage. The student should refer for more detailed 
information on this 
subject to W-VG : 
255-262. Of the early 
sorts Jersey Wakefield 
is the best known and 
the well-bred strains of 
this variety possess spe- 
cial merit for the grow- 
ing of an extremely 
early product. In re- 
cent years, Copenhagen 
Market is finding favor 
especially among com- 
mercial growers because it is larger than Jersey Wakefield and 
will stand longer in the field without bursting. It is the leading 




Fig. 



24. — A typical head of 
cabbage. 



Jersey Wakefield 



92 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

early round-headed variety. Succession, a remarkably good, 
well-bred mid-season variety, is often sown rather late for the 
fall crop. Enkhuizen Glory is also a very good round-headed 
sort that does well for the second and also for the late crop. 
Danish Ballhead is by far the most important variety for storage 
and for winter market. 

1. What variety would you select for the early and late crop and 

for storage? 

2. What are the merits of the varieties which you have decided to 

plant ? 

3. How may varieties of cahhage he rla.s-sified? 

W-VG:2r)5. L:119. C : 183. 

4. Name and describe the leading varieties, early and late, of the 

various classes. 

W-VG : 255-260. L : 119. C : 183. A : 22-23. 

5. What varieties are groivn in your neighborhood f 

4. Obtaining seed. — Cabbage seed should be purchased with 
the utmost care, in order that the least possible risk may be taken 
of getting a poor strain. You should also buy the seed early and 
make a germination test before it is time to start the crop. 
Growers should make thorough inquiry about the best sources of 
seed of the varieties wanted. 

1. What precautions should be taken in the purchase of seed ? 

2. How much seed will you need ? W-VG : 495. 

3. Where can good seed of the varieties desired be bought? 

Consult local growers, seed catalogues, and the reports of 
vegetable growers' associations. 



COLE CROP PltOJECTS 



93 




94 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

4. Do you advise the home growing of seedf If so, how is it donef 

5. Where is most of our cabbage seed grown f 

6. How many years will cabbage seed retain its vitality? 

7. Is it desirable to buy cabbage seed a year in advance, and test 

it by growing a small plot before making an extensive planta- 
tion? 

5. Constructing the hotbed. — Unless the seed is sown in a 
greenhouse or the kitchen window, a hotbed will be needed to 
start the early plants. Instructions for the making of hotbeds 
are given in W : 44-45. 

See W : 44-46 references and questions. 

6. Constructing the cold frame. — Cold frames are practically 
indispensable in the growing of good early cabbage plants. In- 
structions for making them are given in W : 46-47. 

See W : 46-48 references and questions. 

7. Making plant boxes. — Thousands of growers start their 
early cabbage plants in flats or plant boxes. They have many ad- 
vantages. Explanations for making them are given in W : 48-49. 

See W : 48-50 references and questions. 

8. Making straw mats. — Plants even as hardy as the cabbage 
may be killed by freezing in either hotbeds or cold frames. The 
sashes must be covered at night to insure the safety of the plants. 
Straw mats have been found highly satisfactory for this purpose. 
Directions for making them are given in W : 50. 

See W : 50-51 references and questions. 

9. Sowing for the early crop. — In most northern sections, seed 
for the early crop should be sown about February 1. The 



COLE CROP PROJECTS 



95 



seedlings should be ready to be transplanted in three or four weeks. 
This will allow six weeks more before they will be wanted for field 
planting. In the warmer parts of the North, as in New Jersey, the 
plants may be set with safety in the open ground about April 1. 




Fig. 26. — Flat of seedlings; onions, lettuce, and cabbage plants. 

In this case the seed should be sown January 15. There should 
be about ten weeks from seed sowing to field planting. 

The cabbage requires a lower temperature for starting the plants 
than the tomato. A day temperature of 60 degrees and 50 or 
even 45 at night will be found suitable for growing good plants. 
Further instructions in W : 51 and references will be found applica- 
ble to sowing seed for the early crop. 



1. See W : 51 references and questions. 



96 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

2. When should seed be sown for the early crop ? 

W-VG : 265-266. L:118. 

3. At what temperature should the seed be germinated ? 

W-VG : 265-266. 

4. How many flats must be sown to start enough plants for your 

project? 




Fig. 27. — A flat of strong, stocky cabbage plants. 



10. Caring for the seedlings. — It is exceedingly important to 
avoid overwatering and excessively high temperatures in the 
growing of early plants. Such conditions are certain to cause 
weak, spindling plants which are always in danger of being lost 
by damping-off — a fungus trouble causing the stems to decay near 
the surface of the ground. The student should consult W : 44 
for further information on starting plants in the hotbed. 

1. See W : 58 for references. 



COLE CROP PROJECTS 97 

2. What conditions should be avoided in caring for young plants ? 
W-VG : 155. C : 12. 



11. Transplanting. — Early plants should be transplanted in 
plant boxes and shifted into the cold frame about March 1. It is 
desirable, if possible, to keep the transplanted seedlings in green- 
house or hotbed temperatures for several days after transplanting 
to enable them to become rooted before shifting to the cold frame. 
Seedlings may be transplanted directly into the cold frame in 
the absence of fiats. Warm days must be chosen for this work. Ex- 
cellent plants may be grown if they are set one and one half inches 
apart each way, though spacing at two inches will secure stronger 
ones. The instructions given for transplanting tomatoes (W : 59) 
from the hotbed apply equally well to cabbage, except that cab- 
bage is rarely transplanted more than once before the plants are 
taken to the field, and pots are seldom used in starting the plants. 

1. See W : 59 and references. 

2. When should the early plants be transplanted to the cold frame ? 

W-VG : 265. 

3. How far apart should the plants be set in flats or in the cold 

frame ? 
W-VG : 265. 

4. How often should the seedlings be transplanted ? 

5. How much cold frame space or how many flats will be needed 

for your plants ? 

6. How would you get rid of rats and mice should they be found 

in the frames ? 



98 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

12. Hardening the plants. — Too much emphasis cannot be 
placed on the importance of thoroughly hardening the plants. 
When well hardened they generally have a bluish-red tint, and 
they may then be transferred to the field. If strong, vigorous, 
and well hardened, they will stand a temperature of 10 to 15 degrees 
below freezing, but otherwise they may succumb to light freezing. 
The neglect of this simple operation may cause the total loss of the 
plants. Hardening is accomplished during the last ten days to 
two weeks before the plants are set in the open ground, by watering 
sparingly or scarcely at all, just enough to keep the plants from 
wilting, by gradually subjecting them to low temperature, and 
finally, by giving them no protection day or night in the cold 
frame. 

1. See W : 63 and references and questions. 

2. What is the importance of hardening early cabbage plants? 

W-VG:159. 

3. Explain how you would proceed to harden the plants. 

4. How long does it take ? 

13. Growing late plants. — Late plants are nearly always started 
from sowings made in the open ground. The time of sowing 
depends upon the climate and the varieties to be grown. In most 
northern localities the seed is sown during the month of May. 
Very late varieties, like the Danish Ballhead, should be given the 
advantage of early sowing, while the mid-season ones, such as 
Succession, need not be sown until several weeks later. The tend- 
ency, however, is to err in sowing too late. The chances for a 
good crop are better from fairly early sowing and timely trans- 
planting into the field. 

A fine, moist seed bed should be prepared where neither cab- 



COLE CROP PROJECTS 99 

bage nor any other cruciferous crop has been grown for at least 
four or five years. This is important from the standpoint of 
avoiding clubroot and other diseases of this group of plants. 
The drills should be made a foot apart, to permit of wheel-hoe 
tillage, eight to ten seeds dropped to the inch of furrow and cov- 
ered with about one half inch of soil. Firming the soil after the 
seed has been sown will insure more prompt germination. 

1. When should seed be sown for the late crop in your locality? 

W-VG : 267. L : 124. R : 20. 

2. When and how should the seed bed be prepared? 

W-VG : 267. L : 124. R : 20. 

3. How should the seed be sown? 

W-VG : 267. L : 124. R : 20. 

4. How much seed will you need ? How large a seed bed will be 

required ? 

14. Preparing the soil. — The cabbage requires high fertility. In 
thin soils the heads either fail to mature or are small and soft. 
The plants thrive in moist soils abounding in available plant food 
and organic matter. Heavy clover sods provide ideal soil con- 
ditions for cabbage. If clover or grass sods are not available, 
then stable manure should be used more liberally. Any kind of 
manure, old or fresh, may be used to advantage for cabbage. The 
amount that should be applied will depend on whether a sod is to 
be used and also on the fertilizer application. If half a ton or more 
of a high-grade fertilizer is used with a heavy clover sod, stable 
manure might be entirely omitted. Most excellent crops of cab- 
bage are grown on good soils without any stable manure. With sod 
on moderately fertile land, ten tons of stable manure, and at least 
half a ton of commercial fertilizer to the acre, should give good 



100 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

results. Growers often use a ton of commercial fertilizer to the 
acre. It should contain a liberal proportion of phosphoric acid, 
also nitrogen, if this element can be bought at a reasonable price. 
Potash should probably be used on most soils, but its application 
does not seem to be so important as the other materials mentioned. 

The most dreaded and destructive disease of cabbage is club- 
root, caused by a slime mold. Regular and heavy liming seems 
to be the most effective preventive measure that can be taken 
against losses from this enemy. At least two tons of caustic lime to 
the acre should be employed, and the crop should not be grown 
on the same land at closer intervals than four or five years. 
Apply three or four tons in case of clubroot. 

It is nearly always an advantage to plow the land in the fall for 
the early crop and in early spring for the late crop. 

1. See W : 63 and references. 

2. What are the plant food requirements of cabbage ? 

3. What crops might precede cabbage ? W-VG : 268. 

4. Should stable manure be applied ? If so, what kind, how much, 

and when ? W-VG : 269. C : 165. 

5. Should commercial fertilizers be applied? If so, what kind 

and how much ? W-VG : 269. C : 165. R : 36-40. 

6. Determine the best treatment for the fiat that you will use for 

cabbage. 

7. What are the values of lime for growing cabbage ? The general 

functions of lime in the soil ? 

8. When should you plow for early cabbage ? For late cabbage ? 



COLE CROP PROJECTS 



101 



9. Estimate the requirements of lime, fertilizer, and manure for 
your cabbage project. 

10. What are the various sources of lime, phosphorus', nitrogen, and 

potassium f 

11. What are the best directions for mixing a suitable fertilizer for 

cabbage f 




Fig. 28. — Transplanting cabbage plants in the field by the use of a dibber. 



15. Planting in the garden. — In most sections of the North, 
strong, well-hardened early plants may be set in the garden or field 
as soon as the ground can be prepared. As a rule, we can begin 
transplanting out of doors about April 15, and earlier in some 
sections. Late cabbage is ordinarily transplanted between June 
15 and July 10. Experience has taught commercial growers 
that comparatively early planting, say from the fifteenth to twen- 



102 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

tieth of June, for late varieties is more likely to result in a good 
yield than later transplanting. 

When tillage with a horse is contemplated, 28 inches between 
rows, even for the earliest varieties, is as close as you should plant, 
and most growers allow two to eight inches more space. Liberal 
spacing is favorable to growing of large heads. 

The spacing between plants in the rows will depend mainly 
on the variety used. The small, early varieties with pointed heads, 
such as Jersey Wakefield, may be set as close as 14 inches apart; 
mid-season flat varieties, as Succession, 18 inches ; while the larger, 
later varieties should have 20 to 24 inches between plants in the 
raws. 

nfCabbage plants are often set in the field with transplanting 
machines, but hand planting, as explained in W : 59 for tomatoes, 
is the usual plan. 

1. See W : 59 and references and questions. 

2. When should early cabbage plants be set in the open ground? 

W-VG:272. L:118. 

3. When should late cabbage plants be set in the field ? 

W-VG : 272. R : 46. 

4. What are the proper planting distances for the most important 

early and late varieties ? 

5. What are the best rules for marking the ground and setting the 

plants ? 

16. Companion cropping. — Early cabbage is unusually well 
adapted to companion cropping. Numerous combinations in- 
cluding the cabbage are in common use. Cabbage, lettuce, and 
radishes are often started together at the same time. A row of 



COLE CROP PROJECTS 103 

lettuce may he set between two rows of cabbage and, if the spacing 
is ample, radishes may be sown between rows and even between 
plants in the rows. The radishes mature and are harvested first, 
then the lettuce grown from transplanted plants, and finally all 
of the ground is devoted to the cabbage crop. It is unlikely that 
these crops seriously interfere with each other, though they make 
tillage more tedious, but they greatly increase the producing 
power of the area under cultivation. The cabbage may be hat- 
vested in time to follow with a crop of beans or perhaps a grei?^ 
manurial crop, such as vetch or crimson clover, that may be plowed 
down the following spring for tomatoes and other vegetables. 

1. Describe several systems of combination cropping which include 
cabbage. W-VG : 477-478, 480, 486, 488. 

17. Cultivating. — Both the early and the late crop should have 
frequent and thorough tillage. When the plants are well grown, 
fewer leaves will be broken off if the cultivating is done in the 
middle of the day when the leaves are limp or less rigid than in the 
morning or evening. 

1. See W : 99 and references. 

2. What recommendations do you make for the cultivation of 

cabbage? W-VG : 273. 

18. Combating insects and diseases. — Among the cruciferous 
plants, cabbage and cauliflower are probably more seriously in- 
jured than other cole crops by species of insects common to the 
entire group. Attacks by the insects are usually coincident with 
the appearance of the first leaves in the seed bed and continue 
throughout the growing season. 

The wilting of early cabbage plants in the field or late plants 
in seed bed^ is a good indication of an attack by root maggot. 



104 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



Such plants when pulled have only a tap root devoid of the 
usual fibrous growth. The injury may be accompanied with more 

or less decay of the 
tissues where older 
maggots have tun- 
neled the root. 

The parent is a 
two-winged fly which 
deposits eggs on the 
ground close to the 
stem along which 
the newly hatched 
maggots work their 
way to the more 
tender roots. Two 
to four generations 
may occur annually, 
and, in the fall, eggs, 
larvse, and adults 
may be found in the old cabbage stumps. 

Control : Tar paper disks placed around plants at setting have 
proved valuable protectors. (CL : 33.) Crude carbolic acid emul- 
sion is said to reduce maggot injury where early plants have not 
been protected. (CL : 33.) Protection for late cabbage can be 
provided by screening the seed bed with cheesecloth. (CL: 35.) 
Imported cabbage worm : The familiar white butterfly with 
fore wings grayish tipped is the parent of our common green cab- 
bage worm. The caterpillar, a velvety green " worm," is dis- 
tinguished from closely related forms by a faint yellow line ^long 
the middle of its back. 

The caterpillar eats large irregular holes in the leaves, often 
leaving nothing but the larger veins. 

The adult deposits yellow, delicately ridged eggs on the under 




Fig. 29, — Wilting due to cabbage maggot. 



COLE CROP PROJECTS 



105 



surface of the leaf, and from these hatch small, green caterpillars 
that immediately begin skeletonizing the leaf. In ten to fourteen 





PMHHH 




^ 




HHHPmV 


HPIHmB 






Sf ^'^S 














ifM 




|p^9E|gfl| 




1 



Fig. 30. — Cabbage worm. 

days they become full grown and fasten themselves to the under 
side of the leaf or other protected surface and change to a pupa 
from which in about a week the butterfly emerges. Several broods 
develop in a season. 

This pest is controlled by hand picking or dusting when only a 
few plants are grown. Poison sprays applied as soon as young 
caterpillars appear are the best for large plantings. 

1 . What indicates maggot injury to cabbage f CL : 29-36. 

2. What is the life history of the maggot? CL : 29-30. 

3. Is clean farming a desirable practice? If so, why? CL:32. 

4. State briefly three methods of preventing injury by the maggot, 

indicating when each is most desirable. CL : 33-36. 



106 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



5. Name some other maggots that affect cabbage. 

CL : 36. CL : 37-38. 

6. How does the imported cabbage worm adult differ from the others 

common cabbage butterflies f CL : 6-8. 

7. Can the caterpillar be easily distinguished? CL : 5-8. \ 

8. Describe briefly the life history of the imported cabbage worm: 

CL : 4-5. 

9. Does it injure the outer leaves only f CL : 5. 

10. What is the best spray to usef CL : 6. 

11. What other common cabbage worms affect this crop? CL : 7-21. 

Black rot causes enormous losses to cruciferous crops both 

in the field and in storage. 




"1 



This is a bacterial disease and 
is first noticeable in the field 
by a blackening of the veins 
near the edges of the leaves. 
Such leaves soon become yellow 
and die. If infected plants 
are stored, the disease con- 
tinues to develop in storage. 
The black rot bacteria live 
in the soil and may be 
spread upon the seed or on 
plants shipped from one place 
to another. They may also 
be spread from field to field 
on tools and in manure. Con- 
trol measures involve first of 
all crop rotation. Cabbage should not be planted for several 
successive years on soil which has produced cabbage with black 




Fig. 31. — Aphis-infested cabbage leaf . 



COLE CROP PROJECTS 



107 




rot. Cabbage seed should be soaked from ten to twenty min- 
utes in formaldehyde (one teaspoonful to a pint of water). 

Club root attacks the roots and stems, causing them to become 
swollen and enlarged. Often infected plants remain stunted 
and do not produce 
heads. The organ- 
ism causing club 
root lives in the soil 
and is spread by 
wind, in manure, on 
seedling plants, 
weeds, and tillage 
tools. Club root may 
be controlled by lim- 
ing the soil. Slaked 
lime should be ap- 
plied in the fall at the 
rate of about seventy- 
five bushels per acre and should be well worked into the soil. 
Crop rotation should be practiced, allowing cabbage to be growm 
on the same soil only once in about five years. Varieties Hol- 
lander, Stone, Mason, and Henderson's Early Summer are some- 
what resistant. 

Yellows or wilt is a disease characterized by yellowing and 
dropping of the leaves. Plants often die. Control is similar to 
that described for black rot. The variety Wisconsin Hollander 
is resistant. 

Other diseases of cabbage of less importance are black leg, 
downy mildew, and soft rot. 

1. What are the symptoms of black rot of cabbage ? 
SH: 165-166. 



Fig. 32. — Club root is the most serious disease of 
cabbage and related crops. 



108 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



2. What is the cause of the disease and how does it spread ? 

SH: 166-167. 

3. What control measures are recommended for black rot ? 

SH: 167-168. 

4. How does club root affect cabbage plants ? 

SH: 168-169. 

5. How may club root be kept under control ? 



19. Harvesting and marketing. — Cabbages should seldom be 
harvested until the heads are solid and mature. The crop is 

usually cut with a 
strong, sharp butcher 
knife. If to be buried 
or stored with most 
of outside leaves re- 
maining, a sharp 
hatchet will be found 
convenient, when a 
stub of the stem four 
or five inches long 
should be left, which 
will serve as a very 
useful handle. 




Fig. 33. — Brussels sprouts ; the lower leaves have 
been removed to induce the formation of large 
buds commonly called "sprouts." 



Most markets demand fairly close trimming. The crop is 
usually packed in baskets or crates for shipment and sold by 
count or by weight on local markets. 

Yields vary from ten to twenty or more tons to the acre, and 
there is the widest range in prices. 

' 1. When should early and late cabbage be harvested ? 
W-VG : 273. C : 166. R : 87. 



COLE CROP PROJECTS 



109 



2. How much freezing will mature cabbage stand? 

3. What is the most convenient method of harvesting ? 

W-VG:274. 0:166. R : 88-92. 

4. How should cabbage be trimmed for market ? 

5. How would you pack it for market ? 

W-VG : 274, 162-187. C : 166. 

6. Will it sell best on your market by the crate, barrel, bushel, 

weight, or by the head ? 

7. How is cabbage shipped to your market f 

8. What prices does it command? 

9. What is a good yield of cabbage to the acre ? 

10. When does it pay to make sauerkraut? How is it. made? 

20. Storing the late crop. — There are so many methods of 

storing late cabbage 

that little attempt 

will be made here to 

describe them, but 

the student should 

consult the references. 

No other plan will 

keep winter cabbages 

in better condition 

than burying. This 

should be done as 

late as possible in the 

fall. A well-drained 

location should be 

selected, and the heads ^'°-^^'-^°°^ ^^f^ °^ ?^ ^^^^ ^^ Chinese cab- 
bage. 1 his IS becoming more popular among 

should be covered American gardeners every year. 




110 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

with at least four or five inches of soil. An additional covering 
of five or six inches of horse manure will give ample protection 
to the heads in most parts of the North, though more manure 
should be used in the coldest sections. 

1. What is the best method for you to store your cabbage ? 

2. Do you think it will pay you to store cabbage ? Why ? 

3. Describe the most important methods of storing cabbage. 

4. How may it be buried successfully f W-VG : 280-281 . L : 308-309. 

Project V. Growing Cauliflower 

Cauliflower and broccoli belong to the mustard family. They 
are close relatives of common cabbage but differ from it very 




Fig. 35. — Good heads of Snowball cauliflower. 

greatly in the structure of the head. In cabbage the head is an 
enlarged bud composed only of leaves. In cauliflower and broc- 
coli the head is made up of modified, thickened flower clusters 



COLE CROP PROJECTS HI 

surrounded by a, number of green, cabbage-like leaves. The 
edible part is entirely the modified floral parts. In order to grow 
seed the plants are started in July and when partly developed are 
stored in cold frames for the winter. The following season they 
are set in the open ground again and will produce seed. The 
plants grow best and the seeds mature well only during compara- 
tively cool weather. Seed is not successfully produced in this 
country except in the northern Pacific Coast region where the 
climatic conditions seem most favorable, and to a limited extent 
in greenhouses. 

Cauliflower and broccoli are very similar. Broccoli differs in 
having smaller heads surrounded by more numerous stiffer leaves 
and in requiring a longer time to mature. 

1. What is the nature of the head of the cauliflower f 

2. When will cauUfloiccr produce seed? 

3. How is broccoli related to cauliflower f 

Project Outline 

1. Importance of crop. 

2. Selecting location. 

3. Choosing varieties. 

4. Obtaining seed. 

5. Starting plants. 

6. Preparing soil. 

7. Planting in the garden. 

8. Companion cropping. 

9. Cultivating. 

10. Protecting heads. 

11. Combating insects and diseases. 

12. Harvesting and marketing. 



112 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

1. Importance of crop. — Cauliflower is regarded as the most 
refined and the most deUcate member of the cabbage family. It 
is unquestionably the most difficult to grow. The crop is of 
special commercial importance in certain localities that furnish 
ideal climatic and cultural conditions such as Long Island and 
other sections adjacent to large bodies of water. It is grown 
locally to a greater or less extent for all northern markets, and it 
is a favorite crop with thousands of home gardeners. 

1. To what extent is cauliflower grown for commercial purposes? 

W-VG : 295. C : 187. 

2. What points can be made in its favor for the home garden? 

W-VG : 295. C : 187. 

3. Do you think you should grow cauliflower as a home project f 

4. What is known about the history of cauliflower f 

5. How does cauliflower differ botanically from cabbage f 

6. Carefidly examiue and describe a head of caidiflower. Of what 

parts of the plant is it composed f 

7. What are the best methods to cook and seric cauliflower? 

8. To what extent is cauliflower grown as a forcing crop? 

2. Selecting location. — Though cauliflower is very closely 
related to cabbage, conditions which are favorable to the culture 
of the latter crop might fail to yield a satisfactory crop of cauli- 
flower. For example, farm land of average fertility with a fairly 
heavy grass sod, and moderate applications of plant food, should 
produce a profitable crop of cabbage ; but its use for cauliflower, 
on a business scale at least, would be an unsafe venture. In the 



COLE CROP PROJECTS 113 

culture of cauliflower, we are dealing with a plant of exacting 
climatic, soil moisture, and plant food requirements, and these 
very reasons may commend the crop to students who have had 
considerable gardening experience. The chances of success will 
be much greater if we can find a plot of ground which is naturally 
fertile and moist, though well drained. Proximity to a large body 
of water is always an advantage for this crop, because it insures 
high humidity which is favorable both to the growth of the plants 
and the development of the heads. 

1. What are the most important considerations in selecting a loca- 

tion for cauliflower ? 
W-VG : 297. L : 120. C : 188. A : 69-72. 

2. What are the most favorable climatic conditions? 

W-VG : 297. L : 120. 

3. Have you a suitable location for this crop ? 

4. In what parts of the country is- cauliflower most largely grown? 

3. Choosing varieties. — The three leading varieties of early 
cauliflower are Dwarf Erfurt, Snowball, and Snowstorm. 

1. What are the leading early varieties of cauliflower? Late 

varieties ? 
W-VG : 298. Seed catalogues. 

2. What varieties are grown in your community ? 

3. What varieties are best for you to grow ? 

4. Obtaining seed. — The most perfect conditions may be pro- 
vided for the growing of cauliflower, but poor seed may cause 
almost a total loss of the crop. It is not so much a question of 
whether the seed will grow or not, but the great question is, has 



114 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

the seed been well bred so that it will produce a good crop under 
favorable conditions ? Enough has been said to show the student 
that he should exercise extreme care in purchasing cauliflower 
seed. Consult market gardeners in the community ; get in touch 
with your county agent ; write your agricultural college. Make 
certain, if possible, that the seed you plant will not disappoint 
you by yielding a light and poor crop. 

1. What is the result when poor seed is planted? 

2. What has the U. S. Government done in growing seed under 

glass ? 
W-VF : 236. 

3. Where can you get good seed ? 

4. How much seed will you need ? 

5. Starting plants. — Greater care must be exercised in the 
growing of cauliflower plants than in starting early cabbage plants. 
The seedlings are more susceptible to damping-off fungi, and are 
more sensitive to variable temperatures and soil moisture condi- 
tions. While there should be a constant supply of soil moisture 
to the full depth of the plant bed, overwatering must be avoided. 
In brief, extreme care must be exercised to be successful in growing 
early cauliflower plants. In general, they are grown in practically 
the same way as early cabbage plants, though the seed is seldom 
sown in the North very much before March 1, and the plants 
should not be subjected to such low temperatures. 

Late plants are started from field sown seed as explained for 
growing late cabbage plants. 

1. Describe in detail the growing of early cauliflower plants. 
W : 44-65, 94-99. W-VG : 298. C : 188. 



COLE CROP PROJECTS 115 

2. How are late cauliflower plants started ? 
W-VG: 299. C: 189. 

6. Preparing soil. — In W:114 the importance of a moist, 
fertile soil was strongly emphasized. No effort should be spared 
in the preliminary tillage operations, and rotten manure should 
be used in liberal amounts. It is likely that a ton of high-grade 
fertihzer to the acre may be profitably applied. Lime is usually 
desirable. 

1. Describe the preliminary tillage operations for planting cauli- 

flower. 

2. How should cauliflower be fertilized ? 

W : 99. W-VG : 299. C : 188. 

7. Planting in the garden. — The early plants should not be 
set in the open ground until after danger of hard frosts is past. 
While frost will not kill well-hardened plants, it is unsafe to 
proceed very far in the hardening of cauliflower plants, for this 
may check their normal growth and development, and interfere 
with head formation. Late plants are generally transplanted 
about the first of July. 

1. When should early cauliflower plants be set in the open ground ? 

Late plants? 

W-VG : 299. CL : 189. 

2. What should be the planting distances for early and late cauli- 

flower ? 
W-VG : 299. W : 313. CL : 189. 

3. Under what conditions does cauhflower head the best ? 

8. Companion cropping. — Cauliflower may be used as a com- 
panion crop with other vegetables very much in the same way as 



116 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

cabbage. However, companion cropping out of doors is not so 
popular as under glass, where space is more valuable. 

1. Suggest a few good plans for companion cropping, including 
cauliflower. 
W : 102. W-VF : 384. 

9. Cultivating. — The most thorough cultivation should be 
given this crop, beginning immediately after planting in the field. 
Small areas are often planted close together and cultivated with a 
wheel hoe. W : 305. 

10. Protecting heads. — Whether the cauliflower is to be sold 
or used on the home table, the heads should be pure white. To 
accomplish this it is necessary to protect them from the rain and 
sunshine by tying the leaves together over the heads or by fastening 
them in some other convenient manner. This operation should 
have attention as soon as the heads are visible or when about an 
inch in diameter. 

1. Why should heads of cauliflower be protected? 

W-VG : 300. L : 122. 

2. When should it be done ? 

W-VG : 300. C : 189. 

3. What plan will you employ to protect the heads ? 

W-VG : 300. C : 189. 

11. Combating insects and diseases. — The various enemies 
of cabbage also feed on cauliflower. 

12. Harvesting and marketing. — Cauliflower is so delicate and 
tender that the heads are easily bruised by any rough handling. 
Though commercial growers often pack in barrels and crates, the 
less extensive grower will find that his profits may be increased 



COLE CROP PROJECTS 117 

by wrappinpj the heads in tissue or li^^ht oiled paper, either white 
or of a greenish tint. If proper care is exercised in marketing, a 
paying price should be received for every head. 

1. When should cauliflower be cut and how should it be prepared 

for market ? 

W-VG : 300. C : 190-192. 

2. What kind of package will be best for your market ? 

W-VG : 300. C : 191. 

3. What is the usual price paid for cauliflower by your local mar- 

ket? 



CHAPTER FOUR 
SALAD CROP PROJECTS 

Celery, Lettuce, Parsley, Endive, Corn Salad, Cress 

Though a few other vegetables of minor importance may bo 
included in the list of salad crops, the ones of main importance 
are celery, lettuce, parsley, endive, corn salad, and cress. Celery 
and lettuce are produced largely for the home table and for com- 
mercial purposes in most parts of the country, and they are treated 
as separate projects. Parsley is a species belonging to the carrot 
family. It is a close relative of celery. Parsley behaves as a 
biennial, growing a group of leaves the first season and sending 
up an erect flowering stalk the second season. The leaves are much 
cut and often curled in garden varieties. The flowers are greenish- 
yellow. Parsley is a native of the Old World and is grown to some 
extent in American gardens, but is not considered a crop of great 
financial possibilities largely because of the limited demand for it. 
Instructions relating to its culture may be found in W-VG : 406 ; 
L: 157, 158, 310; C : 327. Endive, cress, and corn salad are of 
less importance than parsley. Brief references to their production 
may be found in W-VG, L, and C. 

The salad crops are comparatively shallow rooted. They re- 
quire an abundance of plant food and a constant supply of soil 
moisture. 

Project VI. Growing Celery 

Celery belongs to the carrot family which includes also the 

parsnip and parsley. This family is most at home in the north 

118 



SALAD CROP PROJECTS 119 

temperate region. The wild form, from which our cultivated 
celery has arisen, is a native of Europe. 

In common celery the portions of the plant which are used com- 
mercially are the enlarged leaf stalks, botanically known as the 
petioles. In celeriac, or turnip-rooted celery, the root is enlarged 
and fleshy and constitutes the edible portion of the plant. Celery 
and celeriac are offshoots of the same species. Ordinarily celery 
grown from seeds forms a clump of leaves, with the thick stalks 
the first season, and if left in the ground sends up seed stalks the 
second season. A plant thus producing seed the second season is 
known as a biennial. The flowers are white, small, and in small 
groups called umbels. The seeds are small, it being estimated 
that an ounce contains between 60,000 and 70,000 seeds. The 
leaves are compound, and the leaflets divided and coarsely toothed. 
The white or blanched condition of the leaf stalks is secured by 
keeping the light away from them. The green color, which is such 
a predominant feature of plants, can develop only in the light. 
Potato sprouts growing in a dark cellar, or grasses growing under 
a board, are without green color. In order that growth may 
continue the green color must be developed somewhere. There- 
fore in celery growing the leaf stalks are kept from the light, but 
the leaf blades are left in the light. 

1. To ivhat family does celery belong? 

2. How does celery differ from celeriac? 

3. Why is celery said to be a biennial? 

4. Under what conditions does the blanching of celery take place? 

Project Outline 

1 . Why grow celery ? 

2. Selecting location. 



120 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

3. Choosing varieties. 

4. Obtaining seed. 

5. Constructing the hotbed. 

6. Constructing the cold frame. 

7. Making plant boxes. 

8. Making straw mats. 

9. Sowing for the early crop. 

10. Caring for the seedlings. 

11. Growing late plants. 

12. Preparing the soil. 

13. Planting in the garden. 

14. Companion cropping. 

15. Irrigating. 

16. Cultivating. 

17. Mulching. 

18. Blanching. 

19. Combating insects and diseases. 

20. Harvesting and marketing. 

21. Storing the late crop. 

1. Why grow celery ? — The student gardener will do well to 
investigate the available markets and ascertain the demand for 
this vegetable. He may be surprised to learn that they are poorly 
supplied with good celery and that he has a real business oppor- 
tunity to engage in the growing of a crop the production of which 
is not generally understood. While there are hundreds of suc- 
cessful growers, the fact is that a large percentage of those who 
attempt the culture of this salad crop do not achieve as great 
success as they do with many other vegetables, such as the onion, 
cabbage, tomato, sweet corn, and potato — vegetables which are 
more universally grown. It must be admitted that celery is more 
difficult to grow than the vegetables just mentioned, but this very 
fact may make its culture a more attractive business venture to 



SALAD CROP PROJECTS 121 

the ambitious student or club member. At the same time, let us 
remember that there is nothing mysterious about the growing of 
celery, that it is largely a matter of understanding the principles 
involved and of adopting practices that conform to the principles. 
It is surprising how rapidly this vegetable has gained in popu- 
larity among all classes of American consumers. Nearly all home 
gardeners try to grow a little celery. Thousands of general mar- 
ket gardeners grow the crop, and it is produced on a mammoth 
scale by specialists who cultivate muck soils. There is a peculiar 
fascination in growing the crop because of the skill required and 
because of the splendid earning capacity of the plot of ground 
when properly managed. 

1. Is your market well supplied with good celery? 

2. Do you think the crop offers special opportunities for you ? If 

so, why ? 

3. What is the commercial importance of celery? 

W-VG : 302. L : 133. C : 194. B : 2. 

4. In what parts of the country is celery largely grown for commercial 

purposes f 
B:2. W-VG: 303. 

5. What is known about the history of celery? W-VG : 302. 

6. What are its chief botanical characteristics ? 

W-VG : 303. C : 194. B : 1. W : 119. 

7. How is it generally served on the table? W-VG : 302. 

8. What is its chemical composition? Its food value? 

2. Selecting location. — The cooler climates are most suitable 
for the growing of celery. When its culture is attempted in the 



122 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

South, advantage is taken of the months that afford the best 
temperature conditions. While celery is matured at midsummer 
in the North, our best product does not reach the market until 
late in the fall. The cool nights of late September and October 
are most favorable to the development of crisp, tender stalks. It 
may be said, however, that with intelligent management the crop 
may be grown with entire success in all parts of the North. 

The bulk of the enormous quantity of celery shipped to our 
great city markets is grown on muck soils. These soils furnish 
ideal conditions for the crop. They generally contain more than 
50% of organic matter and this is the chief reason for their adap- 
tation to celery. They are moist, loose, and fertile, and provide 
the very best conditions for this shallow-rooted crop. 

But comparatively few students or club members can select 
muck soils for their home project. If the cultivation of this crop 
is to be attempted, some other soil must be chosen. We must 
find or make a soil which is loose and friable in its physical prop- 
erties, and which contains an abundant and constant supply of 
moisture and available plant food. If we will keep in mind the 
composition of muck soils (W-VG : 306), it will help us to choose 
a good soil for celery, though muck may not be available. The 
sandy loams are excellent. They should abound in humus or 
decaying vegetable matter. However, any good soil which has 
been used for gardening purposes should be suitable, with proper 
treatment, for the growing of celery. It is important, of course, 
to give very careful attention to the preparation of the soil, espe- 
cially if it is not naturally ideal for growing celery. 

1. What are the most suitable climatic conditions for growing 

celery? W-VG : 305. L:133. B : 3. 

2. What are the best soil conditions for this crop ? 

W-VG : 305-308. L : 133. C : 195. B : 4. 



SALAD CROP PROJECTS 123 

3. Do you have a favorable location for celery culture ? 

4. Describe the climate of the most important celery growing districts. 

5. What is the range in temperature, covering a period of ten yearSy 

in your own community f 

6. What is the composition of a typical muck soil? W-VG : 306. 

7. What are the type and composition of the soil you are considering? 

8. What is the average annual rainfall of your section f 



3. Choosing varieties. — Celery is divided into two general 
classes, namely, green varieties and the so-called self-blanching 
types. Probably nine 
tenths of all the celery 
sold in the United 
States belongs to the 
self-blanching type. 
This is due to the fact 
that the plants are gen- 
erally more dwarf in 
habit of growth, are 
more easily blanched, 
and may be grown 
closer together than 
the tall green sorts. In 
other words, in the judgment of most growers, they ofl'er greater 
financial possibilities than do the green varieties. On the other 
hand, we should not lose sight of the fact that the green kinds 
are superior in quality, and this may be an important considera- 
tion in favor of their selection. The self-blanching varieties 
are invariably selected for the early crop, and they are most 




Fig. 36. — Winter Queen celery, one of the best late 
green varieties. 



124 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

largely grown on muck soils for the late crops. The green sorts 
are grown mainly for local markets and for late fall and winter 
consumption, especially for markets demanding the highest 
quality. 

Golden Self-Blanching is the most extensively grown of this 
class. The plants are very stocky and compact. White Plume 
is taller and more vigorous but not quite so good in quality as 
Golden Self-Blanching. In recent years, Easy Blanching has 
been introduced, and it is rapidly gaining friends because of its 
vigor of growth and superior quality. 

Among the green varieties. Giant Pascal has stood at the top 
of the list for high quality. Winter Queen, French's Success, and 
Boston Market are also favorite varieties. 

1. What varieties would you select for an early crop? For a late 

crop ? 
W-VG : 304-305. B : 125-129. Catalogues. 

2. What are the merits of the varieties which you have decided to 

plant ? 

3. How may varieties of celery he classified f B : 125. 

4. What varieties of celery are grown in your neighborhood? 

5. Hoiv do varieties differ in hahit of growth? 

4. Obtaining seed. — It is urged that the greatest care be 
exercised in the selection of seed, for inferior seed may cause 
almost a total failure, regardless of other important factors. 
Poor seed may result in an inferior type of plants, pithy or 
hollow stalks, lack of vigor, low percentage of germination or 
running to seed the first year. We cannot be too careful in this 
matter. Consult the commercial growers in the neighborhood. 



SALAD CROP PROJECTS 125 

Inquire of reputable seedsmen about the merits of their seed. 
Write to your agricultural college. Commercial growers often 
buy seed and test it a year in advance by making small plantings. 

1. What are the effects of poor seed ? W-VG : 307. 

2. Where can you obtain seed of high quality ? 

3. Where is celery seed grown inost largely for the trade? 

W-VG : 307. 

4. Should you attempt to grow your own seed? C : 195. 

5. How would you proceed to grow seed? 

6. Should seed he fresh, or a year or more old? W-VG : 307. C : 195. 

7. How and where should celery seed he stored? W-VG : 307. 

8. How is celery seed used in cookery? W-VG : 302. 

5. Constructing the hotbed. — The growing of an early crop 
will require the construction of a hotbed, unless the plants are 
started in a greenhouse or in a sunny window. If the student has 
selected tomatoes, too, for a home project, there is no reason why 
the same hotbed will not serve for the starting of both crops, for 
the seed may be sown at the same time. Instructions for the 
making of hotbeds are given in W : 44. 

6. Constructing the cold frame. — It is questionable to what 
extent cold frames may be used for the starting of early celery 
plants. The plants must not be subjected to low temperatures 
at any time, for this may cause them to produce seeds instead of a 
marketable crop. For this reason, it is better to keep the plants 
in the warm temperature of the hotbed or the greenhouse until 
they are transferred to the open ground. However, if the seed 



126 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

is sown quite late, cold frames may be used for a short period 
before the plants are taken to the field. For instructions on build- 
ing a cold frame see W : 46. 

7. Making plant boxes. — Plant boxes or flats will be found 
very convenient for starting early plants. Instructions for making 
them are given in W : 48. 

8. Making straw mats. — Both the hotbeds and cold frames 
will need protection in addition to that furnished by the sash. 
Straw mats are very satisfactory for this purpose, and instructions 
for making them are given in W : 50. 

9. Sowing the early crop. — In most parts of the North, seed 
for the early crop should be sown about March 1. If suitable 
facilities are available, there is no objection to sowing ten to 
fifteen days earlier. 

Celery seeds are very small and slow to germinate, and for this 
reason the soil in which they are sown should be fine and friable, 
so that each seed will be surrounded by the finest soil particles. 
These soil particles, too, must be kept constantly moist in order 
to insure prompt germination. 

As previously stated, flats are very convenient for the starting of 
early plants. After filling them with fine soil the seeds are sown 
thinly in rows about two, inches apart and barely covered with 
fine soil or sand. It is so easy to wash out the little seeds when 
watering that a good plan is to place a piece of burlap over the box 
after it is sown and sprinkle this instead of the soil. If desired the 
burlap may remain on the box until the seeds begin to sprout. 
Whatever plan is followed, the boxes should be inspected daily 
and watered as often as may be necessary to keep the soil con- 
stantly and uniformly moist, but never wet. A temperature of 
70 to 75 degrees should be maintained if possible until the plants 
are up. 



SALAD CROP PROJECTS 127 

1. How much seed will you need to start your early plants? 

When will you sow ? W-VG : 308. B : 1 . 

2. What kind of soil should be selected for the seed bed ? 

W:122. W-VG: 308. L:133. C : 195. B : 36. 

3. Explain the details of sowing. 

W-VG : 308-309. L : 134-135. C : 195. B : 37. 

4. What temperature should be maintained for germinating the 

seed? W-VG: 308. B : 38. 

5. Give instructions for watering the seed bed. 

10. Caring for the seedlings. — As soon as the tiny plants are 
ip they must have plenty of light, sunshine, and fresh air, other- 
mse they will become pale, weak, and spindling. The aim should 
)e to grow short, stocky plants, and this will require close atten- 
;ion in watering and ventilating. Just enough water should be 
ipplied to maintain a steady growth. It is well to water between 
•ows with a small stream and avoid wetting tops. The seedlings 
>hould be transplanted into flats as soon as the true or rough 
eaves develop, spacing them about 1| inches apart each way. 
rhe plants are then cared for daily, watering or ventilating as 
nay be necessary to encourage a thrifty, vigorous growth. 

1. When should the seedlings be transplanted? 

W-VG: 309. L : 134. C : 196. 

2. How far apart should the plants be set in fiats ? W-VG : 309. 

3. What is the main consideration in watering plants and in 

ventilating the hotbed or cold frame? 

4. What precautions should be taken in transferring the plants 

from the hotbed to the cold frame ? 



128 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

11. Growing late plants — Seed for the late crop is nearly 
always sown in the open ground, and the time is usually as early 
in the spring as the ground can be prepared. If the student is not 
interested in the growing of early celery, he should study W : 127, 
so that he may become familiar with the principles involved in the 
germination of the very small seeds. It is more difficult to main- 
tain a constant supply of moisture in the open ground seed bed 
than in flats kept in the hotbed or greenhouse. 

It is absolutely essential to make a perfect seed bed by the 
application of rotten manure and the most thorough pulverization 
of the soil. The rows should be about a foot apart and the seed 
barely covered. Covering the rows with a screen of some kind or 
perhaps with old carpet or burlap bags will help to retain the 
moisture. This practice, however, is seldom necessary if the beds 
have been properly prepared. The bed should be kept thoroughly 
cultivated until the plants are set where the crop is to mature. 

1. Where should late plants be started? 

W-VG : 309. L : 134. C : 196. B : 43. 

2. Where should the seed be sown? 

W-VG: 309. L:134. C : 196. B : 43. 

3. How should the seed bed be prepared? 

4. What are safe directions for sowing and caring for the plants ? 

5. What other method may be employed in growing late celery plants f 

6. Do you think it would pay you to grow late plants to sell to your 

neighbors ? 

12. Preparing the soil. — The student has learned in W : 122 
that celery is exacting in its soil and plant food requirements. We 



SALAD CROP PROJECTS 129 

cannot hope to make a success of this crop unless we provide ideal 
soil conditions, physically and chemically. 

As previously stated a liberal supply of organic matter is of 
paramount importance. This is usually provided by applying 
rotten manure in amounts varying from 10 tons to 50 or more 
tons to the acre. If the manure can be obtained at a reasonable 
cost, it will pay, in all probability, to use at least 25 tons to the 
acre and double this amount may be profitable. Much will de- 
pend on the organic content of the soil previous to its preparation 
for celery. 

All kinds of stable and poultry manure are used for the growing 
of celery. Poultry droppings are especially desirable because of 
their fineness of texture and large nitrogen content. Poultry 
manure and other kinds of thoroughly decayed animal manures 
should be applied after the land has been plowed, and mixed well 
with the soil by means of a disk or cutaway harrow. In small 
plots where horse-drawn implements cannot be used, spading forks, 
wheel-hoe cultivators, and hand rakes may be employed for the 
same purpose. If only coarse or partly decayed manures are 
available, they should be applied before the land is plowed. 

Comparatively few gardeners attempt to grow celery without 
the use of commercial fertilizers. The amount to the acre varies 
greatly as does also the kind. A ton to the acre is considered a 
fair application for celery, though many growers use a ton and a 
half or even two tons of a fertilizer that contains about 4% of 
nitrogen and 8 to 10% each of the mineral elements. A good 
practice is to apply at least a ton of a complete fertilizer before 
the plants are set out. Then if the plants do not make a satis- 
factory growth, top-dress the soil with nitrate of soda. Nitrate 
of soda should not be used until the plants are well established. 
From 100 to 200 pounds to the acre may be employed at each 
dressing, and this should be worked into the soil with tillage tools, 
imless applied immediately before rain. 



130 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

1. What kind and how much stable manure should be applied for 

the growing of celery ? W-VG : 314. C : 197. B : 20. 

2. What kind and how much commercial fertilizer should be applied 

for the growing of celery? W-VG : 311. C : 197. B : 23. 

3. How and when should the manure and fertilizer be applied? 

W-VG: 311. C:197. B : 25. 

4. Make an estimate of the manure and fertilizer needed for your 

celery project. 

5. Ascertain the methods employed in fertilizing celery in the most 

important producing districts of the United States. 

6. How are muck soils fertilized for celery f 

13. Planting in the garden. — In most parts of the North the 
early plants are not transferred to the open ground before May 10 
to 15. When set earlier than this, severe frosts may injure the 
plants or cause them to produce seed shoots. Good plants set in 
the field not later than May 15 should be large enough to sell by 
August 1. Plants for the late crop are generally set in the field 
the latter part of June and throughout the month of July. 

It is always important to manage the soil so that it will be well 
supplied with moisture at the time of transplanting. Cloudy 
weather and high humidity are also favorable to successful trans- 
planting, because these conditions reduce the loss of water by 
transpiration from the leaves, so that the plants do not wilt so 
much as when there is warm, bright, clear weather. 

There is the widest variation in planting distances for celery. 
When the early crop is to be blanched by the use of boards (W : 133) 
the rows need not be more than eighteen inches apart, though 
most growers prefer about two feet. This allows ample space for 
cultivation or for mulching. (W : 132.) If the crop is to be blanched 



SALAD CROP PROJECTS 131 

with soil in the field, it is doubtful if the rows should ever be closer 
than four feet apart and many growers allow five feet, especially 
for the tall green varieties. 

The distance between plants in the rows varies from four to 
about eight inches. Early varieties are often planted four to 
Bve inches apart, while the large green sorts should be spaced not 
[ess than six inches apart. There should be ample space for the 
full development of strong, stocky plants. 

1. When is the proper time to plant early celery in the field? 

Late celery? W-VG : 312. L : 134. C : 198. B : 54. 

2. What are the best planting distances for early and late celery ? 

W-VG : 313. C : 198-199. 

3. How many plants will be required in your celery project? 

4. What conditions are most favorable for successful trans- 

planting ? 

5. What tools will you need for transplanting? 

6. What are the most common planting distances among celery 

growers f 

7. What is the relation of mulching and blanching in regard to planting 

distances f 

14. Companion cropping. — Celery and onions may be grown 
:ogether satisfactorily. The rows of onions should be a foot apart 
md they should be planted very early in the spring. Every fourth 
)r fifth row of onions is pulled for bunching and celery planted 
n these rows. This plan of double cropping is excellent for any 
5oil which is suitable for the growing of both onions and celery. 

1 . What other plans of companion cropping including celery do you 
recommend? W-VG : 481, 482, 485. 



132 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

15. Irrigating. — In W : 122 it was pointed out that this shallow- 
rooted plant must have a bountiful and constant supply of soil 
moisture. For this reason many celery growers have found it 
profitable to install irrigation systems. Various plans have been 
employed, but the overhead methods have been most popular. 
The distributing pipe lines are parallel, generally about fifty feet 
apart, and supported above ground by wooden or iron posts. 
Special nozzles are placed four feet apart in the distributing lines, 
the latter being turned as may be required by means of levers at 
the end of each line. With proper water pressure it is possible 
to apply water uniformly over the entire area between the distrib- 
uting lines. Certain parts of the equipment that are protected 
by patents, as drilling machines, nozzles, unions, and other special 
equipment, may be obtained 'from the manufacturers, but the 
galvanized pipe may be bought wherever it can be purchased 
on the best terms. The manufacturers also furnish, free of charge, 
bulletins giving complete instructions for the installation and 
operation of the plants. Students who have access to a town or 
city water supply, and who expect to grow celery for a number 
of years, may be fully justified in installing the overhead system 
in at least part of their garden. 

1. What are the main factors in an overhead irrigating plant f 

W-VG : 79-84. Catalogues. 

2. What would it cost you to the acre f Catalogues. 

3. Do you think it would pay you to install a plant f If so, why f 

16. Cultivating. — The most thorough and careful cultivation 
should be given celery. Inasmuch as it is a shallow-rooted crop, 
we must avoid injury of the root by not cultivating very deep 
after the plants have attained a good growth. It is also important 
not to throw any soil on the hearts of the young plants, W : 135. 



SALAD CROP PROJECTS 133 

1. What are the most important points to keep in mind when 
cultivating celery ? W : 132. W VG : :U4. C : 199. 

17. Mulching. — An increasing practice among growers of 
elery, especially the early crop, is to mulch the ground with 
resh horse manure as soon as possible after the plants have been 
et in the field. Ordinarily, the rows are two feet apart and the 
lants five to six inches apart in the row. The fresh horse manure, 

heating, should be spread in layers about a foot deep, or in 
)ose piles, until it has cooled off. It should then be spread four 
r five inches deep between the rows, which will require forty or 
fty tons to the acre. Such a heavy mulch of manure will supply 
?rtility to the plants after every rain or application of water, con- 
srve soil moisture more effectively than the most perfect tillage, 
nd practically prevent all weed growth. In brief, it is one of the 
lost certain guarantees against a failure of this profitable garden 
rop. 

1. What are the benefits of mulching celery with manure ? 

W-VG : 314. 

2. What are the best directions for mulching? W-VG : 314. 

3. What other materials may be substituted for manure in mulching f 

W-VG : 314. 

18. Blanching. — American markets demand well-blanched 
elery. The light-colored stalks are obtained by forcing the 
ilants to grow in darkness or subdued light. In the absence of 
uU light, the coloring matter of the green stalks is destroyed and 
dditional chlorophyll or coloring matter cannot be formed to any 
onsiderable extent. Blanching also improves the quality of the 
elery by making it more crisp and tender. 

Early celery is always blanched in the field where it is growing, 



134 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



while late celery may be partly or wholly blanched in the field or 
it may be harvested and blanched in storage. 

Until within recent years, boards were used almost exclusively 
in blanching the early crop. Boards a foot wide and of any 
convenient length are stood on edge and leaned against the plants 




Fig. 37. — Plows are used in the larger commercial fields for the ridging or blanching 

of celery. 

on both sides of the row and held in place by stakes or other con- 
venient devices. Self-blanching varieties require about two 
weeks to make the plants sufficiently light in color to satisfy mar- 
ket demands. In recent years long strips of fairly heavy paper 
are being substituted for boards. These are stretched along the 
rows and held in place by a little soil or perhaps by wire devices 



SALAD CROP PROJECTS 135 

made especially for the purpose. When boards are given the 
proper care they will last for years, and many growers of com- 
paratively small areas continue the use of boards. 

Late celery is generally ridged with soil to some extent in the 
field for the purpose of blanching the stalks. This operation 
generally begins with the cooler fall weather. If started too soon, 
when the weather is warm, the stems may be discolored more or 
less. HiUing hoes and shovels may be used in small plantations 
to ridge the plants, while plows and special horse-drawn hillers 
are employed in the large commercial plantations. 

1. What kind of celery do American markets demand ? 

W-VG:315. 

2. How does blanching affect the color, texture, and quality of 

celery? W-VG : 316. 

3. Describe the different methods of blanching early celery. 

Late celery. W-VG : 316-318. L : 137. C : 202-204. 

4. How much lumber or paper will you need to blanch your crop ? 

5. What is chlorophyll and under what conditions is it formed f 

6. Describe the physiological effects of blanching. 

7. Secure all the information you can about celery hillers, blanching 

paper, and machines used to apply the paper. Inquire of 
growers. Write manufacturers. 

19. Combating insects and diseases. — Fortunately celery does 
not have many serious insect enemies. The carrot rust fly, a 
native of Europe, is an insect which seriously dwarfs celery stalks 
through the destruction of the fibrous roots by maggots. The 
whitish sickly plants seldom outgrow the attack unless new fibrous 



136 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

root growth occurs near the surface of the soil and even then the 
plants are small in size and of poor quality. The adult is a 
small dark green fly with a yellow head. Eggs are usually laid 
in cracks between the soil and the plant or on the plant. Young 
maggots hatch in about a week, feed on the roots, and when 
mature they make a cell in the soil in which to pupate. Adults 
emerge in late summer and deposit eggs, the maggots of which 
are often plentiful enough to injure the late celery. No definite 
remedy is known. 

The celery butterfly, a beautiful black, swallowtail butterfly, 
is the adult of the destructive celery caterpillar so well known on 
account of its brilliant markings. It feeds on various allied 
plants, but is seldom found on other crops. The honey-yellow 
eggs are deposited singly on the leaves. They hatch into black 
and white banded caterpillars which when mature are green in 
color with strong black and yellow markings. Attention is often 
attracted to the caterpillar because of curious orange-red scent 
organs on its prothorax. Hand picking is a means of control. 

1. Describe the appearance of injury from rust fly on celery. 

CL : 181-185. 

2. How does this injury differ from its work on the roots of other 

plants? CL:183. 

3. What is the life history of the insect? CL : 182-184. 

4. Is control practicable? CL : 185. 

5. What is the life history of the celery butterfly? CL : 188. 

6. Mention three noticeable facts about the caterpillar. CL : 188. 



SALAD CROP PROJECTS 137 

7. Name five plant foods of the caterpillar other than celery. 

CL : 186. 

8. Describe the adult caterpillar. CL : 186-187. 

Celery is attacked by two blight diseases, one called late 
blight and the other early blight or leaf spot. The early blight 
spots first appear on the older or outer leaves as yellowish areas. 
Later the spots turn brown around the outside and have a 
whitish center. Varieties differ in their susceptibility to this 
disease. Spraying with Bordeaux is effective if begun early and 
should really be started in the seed bed. 

Late blight appears as a leaf spot in its early stages. Later 
very small black dots appear on the spots and also on the blanched 
leaf stalks. The leaves sometimes wilt in severe cases. If the 
disease becomes troublesome, the seeds should be disinfected. 
Soaking for fifteen minutes in a corrosive sublimate solution 
(1 : 1000) is the treatment. This solution is poisonous, must be 
handled with care, and never used in a metal container. The 
same seed bed should not be used successively. Spraying with 
Bordeaux will help to control the disease either in the seed bed 
or field. 

1. How do the two blight diseases of celery differ in appearance ? 

SH: 174-178. 

2. What three control measures may be practiced to control the 

late bUght ? 

20. Harvesting and marketing. — If the crop is to be sold as 
fast as it is harvested, a convenient plan is to cut the roots a little 
below the surface of the ground so as to leave a short stub at the 
base of the plant. No attempt will be made here to describe the 
numerous methods of preparing the crop for market. It is sug- 



138 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

gested that the grower visit his local markets and ascertain the 
method or methods preferred by the dealers and then exercise 
extreme care. If the plants are to be tied in bundles of three or 
more, it is likely that blue or red tape, one quarter inch wide and 
made for this special purpose, could be used to advantage. The 
plants should be trimmed of all discolored leaves or withered leaf 
stalks. They should also be thoroughly washed and sent to mar- 
ket in the most attractive condition. 

1. When is celery ready to harvest? W-VG : 319. C : 205. 

2. What is the most convenient way for you to harvest your crop ? 

W-VG : 319. C : 205. B : 104-123. 

3. How will you prepare your crop for market ? 

4. How do the large commercial growers harvest their crop? 

5. Ascertain the methods of marketing employed by growers in (he 

most important producing districts. 

6. What should be the profits from an acre of celery f 

21. Storing late celery. — Celery is severely injured by hard 
freezing and for this reason it is unwise to defer harvesting the 
crop very much later than November 1. There may be sections 
of the North where it is safe to leave the crop in the field with 
no protection until Thanskgiving, but the student gardener will 
show wisdom by not taking too much risk in this matter. 

It is important for growers to understand that the crop must 
be stored where it will be protected from hard freezing and where 
the air is cool and fairly moist. If these conditions are kept in 
mind, there should be no difficulty in providing satisfactory storage. 

For growers of comparatively small areas, perhaps the trench 
method is most satisfactory. The trench should be about a foot 



SALAD CROP PROJECTS 



139 





wide and deep enough for the plants to be stood erect with their 
tops extending several inches above the top of the trench. The 
plants should be trenched when they are perfectly dry. They 
are lifted with some 
soil adhering to the 
roots and set close to- 
gether in the trench. 
Boards nailed together 
in the form of a 
trough are placed over 
the trenches to shed 
the rain and protect 
the plants from cold. 
A little soil is thrown 
along the bottom of 
the boards when the 
weather gets colder, 
and later the boards 
are covered with 
manure sufficient to 
protect the plants 
during the severest 

cold weather. Should there be warm weather at any time 
after storing the crop, it will be an advantage to raise at least 
some of the boards a few inches above the ground and support 
them with blocks of wood or otherwise. 

The late crop is often stored in special storage houses, cold 
frames, and especially constructed pits. 

1. What is the effect of hard freezing on celery ? W-VG : 321-322. 



Fig. 38. — Trenching celery. 



2. When should late celery be stored ? 

W-VG : 321-322. C : 89, 103, 208-210. 



140 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

3. What are the most favorable conditions for the keeping of 

celery? W-VG : 321-325. B : 104-108. 

4. What are the details of the trench system? W-VG : 322. 

5. What other methods may be employed in storing celery f 

6. Describe a good celery pit. 

7. What difficulties may be encountered in storing the crop? 

Project VII. Growing Lettuce 

Lettuce belongs to the chicory family, which ranks as one of 
the highest of all the plant families. The thistle family is closely 
related to it. Wild or prickly lettuce, from which cultivated lettuce 
is supposed to have originated, is a native of Europe, but occurs 
in many places in this country as a troublesome weed. The wild 
form and the common lettuce will readily cross. There are other 
species of wild lettuce which are natives of America. Salsify, 
chicory, and endive are close relatives. Lettuce is said to have 
been under cultivation for more than 2000 years. 

The lettuce plant is an annual, a rather rapid grower, sending 
up a seed stalk in some form at the end of about the second month. 
The leaves are alternately arranged on the stems but vary greatly 
in shape and margins. The flowers are yellowish, the fruits vary 
in color, being white, black, yellow, or brown. The fruits are tipped 
with soft white or brownish bristles which enable them to float 
in the wind like a dandelion fruit. The numerous varieties of 
lettuce catalogued by seedsmen may be grouped into four botanical 
types : (1) asparagus lettuce, with distinctly narrow basal leaves ; 
(2) cutting or loose-leaved lettuce, with broad basal leaves, deeply 
cut on the edges ; (3) head lettuce, with broad leaves, smooth or 
nearly so on edges, and forming a compact roundish or flattish 



SALAD CROP PROJECTS 141 

head, and (4) cos lettuce, with leaves straight and stiff and 
forming a conical or cylindrical head. 

1. Is the wild form of lettuce known ? 

2. When does lettuce produce seed ? 

3. What are the types of cultivated lettuce from the botanical 

point of view ? 

Project Outline 

1 . Why grow lettuce ? 

2. Selecting location. 

3. Choosing varieties. 

4. Obtaining seed. 

5. Constructing the hotbed. 

6. Constructing the cold frame. 

7. Making plant boxes. 

8. Making straw mats. 

9. Starting early plants. 

10. Preparing the soil. 

11. Planting in the garden. 

12. Sowing in the garden. 

13. Companion cropping. 

14. Irrigating. 

15. Cultivating. 

16. Combating insects and diseases. 

17. Harvesting and marketing. 

18. Forcing. 

1. Why grow lettuce ? — Lettuce is nearly always included in 
the planting of home gardens. It is also grown on an enormous 
scale for commercial purposes. The intensive market gardeners 



142 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

of all sections of the country have found it profitable, and the 
truckers of the South and the muck farmers of the North have 
developed the industry to large proportions. For the reasons 
just given, the growing of lettuce by the student gardener or club 
member may not be a promising financial proposition. This 
matter should be carefully investigated before the growing of 
lettuce is decided upon as a business venture. At the same time 
the gardener should realize that the crop offers splendid business 
inducements if a satisfactory market is assured. The fact that it 
may be matured so early in the season that other crops may follow, 
and that it may be planted so closely together, appeals to village 
gardeners who have only very small areas under cultivation. The 
crop is easily grown and its culture is attractive to most vegetable 
growers. 

1. Is your market well supplied with good lettuce ? 

2. Do you think the crop offers special opportunities for you ? If 

SO', why? 

3. What is the commercial importance of lettuce f 

W-VG:351. C:273. 

4. In what parts of the country is lettuce largely grown for commercial 

purposes? W-VG:351. C : 273. 

5. What do you know about the history of lettuce f W-VG : 351. 

6. What are its chief botanical characteristics f W-VG : 351 . W : 140. 

7. How is it generally served on the tablet 

8. What is its chemical composition? Its food value? 

2. Selecting location. — Lettuce requires practically the same 
soil conditions as celery. (W : 128.) An abundance of decaying 



SALAD CROP PROJECTS 143 

organic matter is highly essential as is also a liberal and constant 
supply of soil moisture. Soils naturally fertile should be selected 
if possible. The sandy types are always preferred, and especially 
for compact heading varieties which thrive only in well-aerated 
soils. 

1. What are the soil requirements for growing lettuce? 

W-VG : 355. C : 275. 

2. Have you a favorable soil for growing this crop ? 

3. In what parts of the country is lettuce groum on muck soils? 

4. What is the nature of the soil in the large greenhouses where lettuce 

is groum for market f W-VF : 210. 

5. Describe the soil conditions of the gardens in your community 

ivherc the crop is successful. 



3. Choosing varieties. — Lettuce growers should become 
thoroughly familiar with the classification of varieties as de- 
scribed in W : 140. In the selection of varieties, all depends on 
market demands, soil adaptation, climates conditions, and the 
season of the year when the crop is wanted. In the New England 
and eastern states the compact heading varieties, and there are 
many good ones, are grown almost exclusively, while in western 
sections the well-known loose heading variety. Grand Rapids, is 
largely grown. So many excellent varieties are found among 
home and commercial growers that an extended discussion would be 
required to cover the subject in a satisfactory manner. Students 
are urged to consult the references, local gardeners, seedsmen, and 
others who may be familiar with the requirements of climate, 
soil, and market of the locality. 



144 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

1. What varieties of lettuce will be most likely to yield you the 

largest profits ? What are your reasons ? 
Consult markets and seed catalogues. 

2. Hoic may varieties of lettuce he classified f 

W-VG : 351, 354. C : 271. 

3. Which are of the greatest commercial importance f W-VG: 

353. 

4. What do you kriow about the Grand Rapids lettuce f Big Boston f 

Tennis Ball f W-VG : 353. W-VF : 207. 

5. What varieties are groion most extensively in muck soils? 

6. What varieties should be selected for midsummer sales? 

7. What varieties do your neighbors grow? 

4. Obtaining seed. — All that has been said in previous project 
discussions applies to the obtaining of lettuce seed. The utmost 
care should be exercised. Only reputable seedsmen should be 
patronized. It is also possible to grow superior seed at home. 

1. Where can you obtain good seed of the varieties desired? 

2. Where do your neighbors buy seed ? 

3. How would you proceed to grow good seed at home ? 

W-VF : 209. 

5. Constructing the hotbed. — Early plants may be started in 
hotbeds in the same manner as tomatoes and cabbage. (W : 44.) 

6. Constructing the cold frame. — Early plants may be trans- 
planted from the hotbed into a cold frame or the seed may be sown 
in the cold frame. (W : 46.) 



SALAD CROP PROJECTS 



145 



7. Making plant boxes. — Paper plant boxes, though seldom 
used for lettuce, will be found valuable, especially if very large, 
stocky plants are desired. (W : 58.) 

8. Making straw mats. — Straw mats are valuable to protect 
plants in the hotbed or cold frame. (W : 50.) 

9. Starting early plants. — Early lettuce plants are often 
started under glass, when practically the same methods are em- 




FiG. 39. — A well-constructed cold frame containing a crop of forced lettuce. 



ployed as in the growing of early cabbage plants. The seed is 
generally sown somewhat later than early cabbage. If the seeding 
is made about February 15, the plants should be ready to set in 
the cold frame March 5, and in the field April 15, or a week 
earlier, if the weather has been warm and sunny. 

It is important to have plenty of humus in the soil that is 
used to start early plants. It is also desirable to be liberal in the 
space allowed for the plants. While good plants may be grown 
when set l^Xl^ inches apart in the cold frame, 2X2 inches apart 
will produce much stronger plants and it often pays to allow the 



146 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

extra space, especially when a very early product is desired. 
When assured of a good price, we may be more than justified in 
using paper pots for starting the plants. These may be two inches 
square. They are conveniently handled by placing them in flats 
which may be shifted at your convenience. 

1. How may early lettuce plants be started under glass? 

W-VG:355. L:115. C : 276. 

2. When should the seed be sown? 

W-VG:355. L:115. C:276. 

10. Preparing the soil. — The instructions given for preparing 
soil for celery (W : 128) apply equally well for lettuce. The 
student should also refer to W : 122. Any lack of humus, soil 
moisture, or available plant food is certain to affect the yield as 
well as the quality of the crop. The maturity of the crop is also 
retarded b}^ any unfavorable soil condition. It is exceedingly 
important, therefore, to be most thorough in the preparation of 
the soil for this crop. 

11. Planting in the garden. — Lettuce grows best at compara- 
tively low temperatures. For this reason advantage should be 
taken of the spring and fall months, thus avoiding as much as 
possible the hot weather of midsummer, the tendency of which 
is to cause the plants to produce seed shoots and loose leafy heads 
instead of compact ones. It is desirable, therefore, to set the 
plants in the open ground almost as early in the spring as the soil 
can be prepared. It is generally safe in most northern sections 
to begin transplanting into the field about April 15. If the plants 
have been properly hardened, they will stand hard freezing in the 
field. 

Planting distances for lettuce vary greatly. Ordinarily 10X12 
inches apart give ample space for the development of good heads. 
Plants are often set closer when the most intensive methods are 



SALAD CROP PROJECTS 



147 







73 



o 
o 



148 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

employed, and more space is allowed by growers who need not 
economize in area and who, perhaps, cultivate the crop with a 
horse. The plants should be shifted to the open ground with the 
least possible disturbance of the roots. 

1. What temperature conditions are most suitable for growing 

lettuce ? W-VG : 354. 

2. What are the effects of hot weather on lettuce ? W-VG : 354. 

3. How far apart should lettuce be planted ? 

W-VG: 357. L:115. C : 275. 

4. When should the plants be set in the open ground ? W-VG : 357. 

12. Sowing in the garden. — The great commercial areas of 
lettuce are grown from seed sown in the open ground. It is 
customary to make the rows twelve to fourteen inches apart and 
to thin the plants to about a foot apart in the row. The seed 
should be covered by not more than one fourth inch of soil. The 
thinning may be done very rapidly with common hilling hoes, 
cutting out the weak and surplus plants. . 

1. Where is the seed sown for the large commercial plantations? 

W-VG : 357. 

2. What methods are employed in sowing and thinning, and how 

far apart should the plants stand? W-VG : 357. C : 277. 



13. Companion cropping. — Lettuce is very generally employed 
as a companion crop. Its use with cabbage is described in W : 102. 
Various combinations are given in W-VG : 477, 478, 480, 482, and 
488. 



SALAD CROP PROJECTS 149 

14. Irrigating. — Lettuce, as previously stated, requires an 
abundant and constant supply of soil moisture, and for this reason 
the crop is often irrigated with the overhead system as described 
in W : 132 for celery. 

15. Cultivating. — Lettuce requires thorough tillage, and wheel 
hoes or horse cultivators should be used as often as may be neces- 
sary to keep the surface of the soil in proper condition. 

16. Combating insects and diseases. — Lettuce is attacked by 
such pests as slugs, millipedes, cutworms, plant lice, webworms, 
and beetles. Most of these are only occasionally troublesome, but 
at times may cause serious damage. Roots of lettuce are often 
infested with small whitish, waxy lice (lettuce root louse) which 
if abundant may arrest the growth of the plant. Ants usually 
occur about such colonies and may carry the lice to the roots of 
other plants. 

Drop is one of the most serious lettuce diseases in regions 
where this crop is grown on an extensive scale. It gets its com- 
mon name from the dropping of the leaves. The outer leaves 
wilt and droop and soon the whole plant collapses and lies flat 
on the ground. The disease works rapidly. At first whitish, 
cotton-like growths of the fungus are noticeable and later small, 
blackish, irregular bodies are definite signs of the disease. Prompt 
destruction of diseased plants is recommended. It is well to 
sprinkle the soil with Bordeaux in areas where diseased plants 
have appeared and have been removed. Several other diseases 
caused by molds, mildews, and bacteria may be troublesome. In 
all cases attention to cultural conditions and sanitation are im- 
portant factors in control. Leaving diseased plants in place or 
using compost contaminated with diseased parts of plants are 
practices which tend to spread diseases. 

1 . What relation do ants hear to colonies of root lice among which they 
work? CL:259. 



150 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

2. How does lettuce drop affect the plants f 

SH: 196-198. 

3. What practices are recommended for the drop and other lettuce 

diseases ? 

17. Harvesting and marketing. — A great diversity of packages 
are used in marketing lettuce. The ordinary bushel basket is 
gaining in popularity, though smaller baskets of various descrip- 
tions are in common use. The lettuce should be washed and 
trimmed of all dead and wilted outside leaves. 

1. What is the best plan for you to follow in marketing lettuce ? 

2. Give a description of the various packages used- in marketing 

lettuce. 

W-VG : 358. W-VF : 230. Inspect your market. 

3. How is the greenhouse crop sold? W-VF : 230-233. 

18. Forcing. — An immense quantity of lettuce is grown in 
greenhouses and cold frames. Students will find a complete 
discussion of this subject in W-VF : 204-234, 387-396, 403-404. 

When the crop is grown in cold frames, the soil is made very 
rich and the plants are set about 8X8 inches apart. 



CHAPTER FIVE 

VINE CROP PROJECTS 

Cucumber, Muskmelon, Watermelon, Squash, Pumpkin 

The vine or cucurbitaceous group of vegetables includes the 
cucumber, muskmelon, watermelon, squash, and pumpkin. While 
they are classed as ''tender " vegetables, they vary greatly in 
their temperature requirements. The cucumber, pumpkin, and 
squash are grown with entire success even in the coolest parts of 
the North, while the muskmelon and especially the watermelon 
are exacting in their requirements, especially with regard to soil. 
The cucumber and early varieties of squash mature with com- 
paratively short summers, but the muskmelon, watermelon, and 
pumpkin require fairly long seasons, as do late varieties of squash. 

All of the cucurbits thrive in sandy loams, and, wherever 
climatic conditions are unfavorable, liberal applications of well- 
decayed stable manure are highly advantageous. 

Project VIII. Growing Cucumbers 

The cucumber belongs to the gourd family. The members of 
this family are often referred to as cucurbits, a word derived from 
the botanical name of the family. There are about 650 species in 
the family, found mostly in the tropics. The cultivated species 
are warm weather crops and are easily injured by frost. Other 
well-known plants of this family are the pumpkin, squash, water- 
melon, and muskmelon. The cucumber is a native of Asia and 

151 



152 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

Egypt. It has been under cultivation there for more than 3000 
years. It is not known in the wild state. 

The cucumber plant is an annual with rou^h trailing stems, 
more or less branched, and often of considerable length. The 
leaves are simple and somewhat five-lobed. The flowers are yellow. 
The fruit is known as a pepo, a fruit with hard rind and seeds im- 
mersed in a pulpy interior. The rind is not separable, does not 
break open at maturity, and, although rough and spiny when 
young, sometimes becomes smooth. Common cucumbers are 
divided into white spine varieties and black spine varieties. 
There is an English forcing cucumber which produces seedless 
fruit owing to the fact that the flowers set fruit without being 
fertilized. Small cucumbers are often used as gherkins, but there 
is a genuine gherkin belonging to a different species, a native of 
the West Indies. There seems to be a popular idea that the 
cucumber and melon may be crossed, but experiments have not 
shown this to be true. 

1. To what family does the cucumber belong f 

2. What term is used to refer to members of this family f 

3. What kind of weather is favorable to the cucumber? 

4. What character is used in dividing common cucumbers into two 

groups? 

5. How are seedless cucumbers produced? 

Project Outline 

1. Will cucumbers pay? 

2. Selecting location. 

3. Choosing varieties. 

4. Obtaining seed. 



VINE CROP PROJECTS 153 

5. Starting early plants. 

6. Preparing the soil. 

7. Transplanting in the garden. 

8. Planting seed in the garden. 

9. Companion cropping. 

10. Cultivating. 

11. Combating insects and diseases. 

12. Harvesting and marketing. 

13. Forcing. 

1. Will cucumbers pay ? — Whether they pay or not will de- 
pend mainly on two factors, namely, whether you have suitable 
conditions for the growing of cucumbers, and whether your mar- 
ket is generally well supplied with this vegetable. When consider- 
ing the commercial possibilities of this crop, we should also bear 
in mind that a fairly large area is required in order to grow a con- 
siderable quantity, and for this reason it is not a suitable vege- 
table for cultivation on a very large plot which is expected to 
yield maximum financial returns. In other words, it is necessarily 
more of a field proposition and should have serious consideration 
wherever cultural conditions are favorable, provided there is a 
promising market. There is usually a good demand for small 
pickling sizes. The crop is easily grown and does not require a 
large amount of labor. 

1. Will it pay you to select cucumbers for your home project? 

2. Do you have a suitable location? W-VG : 332. L : 217. 

3. Is your market well supplied with cucumbers ? 

4. Is it a desirable crop for intensive cultivation on a small area ? 

5. What are the labor requirements of this crop ? 



154 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

2. Selecting location. — W : 151, 153. The cucumber is not only 
sensitive to frost but extreme heat with a lack of abundant mois- 
ture is also unfavorable to its best development. It is grown 
very largely in many parts of the South for shipment to northern 
markets, and immense quantities are produced in certain sections 
of the North for pickling purposes. In addition to supplying 
these demands, it is grown locally for perhaps every market in 
the United States. 

The early crop makes most rapid advancement in light, sandy 
soils, while late cucumbers bear longer and yield better in the fairly 
heavy soils. Any deficiency in plant food or soil moisture is 
certain to affect the growth of the plants as well as their ability 
to produce a good crop. It is desirable, therefore, to select a 
relatively fertile soil, though the proper treatment of soils of 
average fertility should result in a satisfactory crop of cucumbers 
if all other cultural requirements are met. 

1. What are the temperature and climatic requirements of the 

cucumber ? W-VG : 331. L : 236. 

2. What kind of soil is best for early cucumbers ? For late? 

W-VG : 332. C : 233. 

3. Describe the soil and location on your farm which you consider 

suitable for cucumbers. 

3. Choosing varieties. — Most varieties of cucumbers grown in 
American gardens have originated from an old and well-known 
variety, the White Spine. This variety is sold by all seedsmen, as 
well as numerous varieties originated from it, such as the Chicago 
Pickling, Boston Pickling, and Fordhook Pickling. 

1. What is the most important variety grown in the United States ? 
W-VG : 331. Seed catalogues. 



VINE CROP PROJECTS 155 

2. What other varieties are largely grown ? 

W-VG : 331. Seed catalogues. 

3. What variety will you grow ? 

• 4. What is the history of the cucumber? W-VG : 330. C : 230. 

5. What are the chief districts where cucumbers are grown for pickling 

or for marketing f W-VG : 33 1 . 

6. What varieties are planted for forcing purposes? W-VF : 302. 

7. What varieties should be selected for very small pickles f 

8. What are the chief botanical characteristics of the cucumber? 

W-VG: 331. C:230. 

4. Obtaining seed. — It is not generally difficult to obtain 
seed for the outdoor crop of cucumbers from the best-known seeds- 
men. The growers of greenhouse cucumbers generally select their 
own seed from special plants, and by this means a high standard 
of excellence is maintained. A considerable number of truckers 
also save home-grown seed, which is not a difficult matter if the 
general principles and practices are observed as explained for 
tomatoes in W : 43. 

1. Where can you obtain good cucumber seed ? 

Consult growers. Seed catalogues. 

2. Is it desirable to select your own seed ? If so, give directions. 

W-VF : 306-308. 

3. Where should the seed be stored? How long will it retain 

its vitality ? 

4. How much seed will you need? 



156 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

5. Starting early plants. — Earliness is- an exceedingly impor- 
tant factor in making cucumbers pay. It is so important that 
many growers start at least a portion of their plants under glass. 
This may be done in a greenhouse, or hotbed, and even a cold 
frame may be used to advantage, although artificial heat is essenti^itl 
if good plants are wanted for setting in the open ground as soon 
as weather conditions will permit. The night temperature in the 
greenhouse or hotbed should not be less than 60° and the day 
temperature at least 10° higher. 

The seed should be planted about four weeks in advance of the 
date when it is considered the plants may be safely transferred 
to the garden. In most parts of the North, it is not safe to set the 
plants out before May 10 to May 20 and ten days later in 
some sections. This means, of course, that the weather will be 
comparatively mild during the growing of the plants and that 
it will be unnecessary to make provision for very much heat 
in the hotbed. A hotbed containing only a foot of hot ma- 
nure should be satisfactory for this purpose in all parts of the 
North. 

Two methods are employed in starting the plants. One, which 
is the most common among market gardeners, is to plant six to 
eight seeds in a three or four inch earthen or paper pot (W : 58) 
and then thin to two to four strong plants. The other plan is 
to sow the seed in flats or beds, barely cover them, and then 
transplant, when the seedlings are about a week old, to pots or 
other devices. The second plan is used extensively by green- 
house growers of cucumbers, but with good management either 
plan is satisfactory. Sometimes the plants are started in berry 
baskets, or in tough, inverted sods, cut into squares of about six 
inches. 

Watering must have careful attention, for either overwatering 
or insufficient soil moisture may be disastrous to the plants. The 
soil should be light and fertile. 



VINE CROP PROJECTS 157 

1. What importance should be given to earliness in the growing 

of cucumbers in the North for local market ? 

2. What temperatures are required in the growing of early plants ? 

W-VG : 333. C : 233. 

3. How may the plants be started ? W-VG : 332. L : 223. 

4. When should the seed be sown f 

5. How should the hotbed be made for starting early cucumber 

plants? W:156. 

6. Describe the soil which will be most suitable for starting the 

plants. 

6. Preparing the soil. — There are probably very few soils 
if well drained, where ciieumbers cannot be grown with entire 
success. The matter of good drainage should be emphasized. It 
is also important for the soil to be well supplied with humus and 
plant food. 

Heavy clover sods, plowed down as early as possible in the spring, 
furnish ideal physical conditions, and such soils are usually rich 
in nitrogen. The land may be of such a character that it will 
be unnecessary to apply manure in any considerable amount, 
although this is unlikely. The most successful growers do not 
take chances in this matter, and for this reason they use rotten 
manure as liberally as the supply will permit. Manure should be 
applied in the hills or in drills. A large shovelful or two in each 
hill will be found highly beneficial. Perhaps manure may be 
so plentiful that three or four shovelfuls may be applied in each 
hill and mixed with the soil. In some sections cucumbers are 
planted in drills and in this event the manure should be distributed 
in furrows opened with a plow, some soil being plowed back on 
the manure and mixed with a cultivator before drilling in the 



158 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTvS 

seed. Whatever the plan followed, there should be no uncer- 
tainty about using the required amount of manure. 

Commercial fertilizers may also be used to advantage. If the 
soil is naturally very fertile, or if stable manure has been used with 
great freedom, an excellent crop of cucumbers may be grown with- 
out supplementing with commercial fertilizers. It is rarely, how- 
ever, that the use of fertilizers will not increase the profits. 

When a very early crop is desired, the use of nitrate of soda 
may be a distinct advantage. It should be applied at the rate of 
about a tablespoonful mixed very thoroughly in each hill before 
the crop is planted. Top dressing with nitrate of soda during the 
period of growth may be beneficial, but excessive amounts should 
be avoided, or the plants may be injured. A teaspoonful of nitrate 
sprinkled around each hill at intervals of about three weeks will 
probably be as much as can be used with safety. 

It is also highly probable that the use of 500 to 700 pounds of 
acid phosphate to the acre will add to the profits of the crop. 
Potash, at normal prices, may also be profitable. Both of these 
mineral elements should be applied after the land has been 
plowed and then mixed with the soil by thorough harrowing. 
W : 63. 

1. What may be said about drainage in relation to growing cucum- 

bers ? 

2. What crop or crops should precede the cucumber? 

3. Should stable manure be employed in growing cucumbers? 

If so, how much, and how and when should it be used? 
W-VG : 333. 

4. Do you recommend the use of commercial fertilizers? If so, 

what kind and how and when should they be applied ? 
W-VG : 333. C : 233. 



VINE CROP PROJECTS 159 

5. What relation, if any, has the character of cucumber roots to the 

preparatory treatmerit of the landf 

6. What is the chemical composition of the different parts of the 

cucumber plant? 

7. Does your particular soil need lime for growing cucumbers f 

8. How do the market gardeners of your community treat their soils 

for the growing of cucumbers f 

7. Transplanting into the garden. — Every possible effort should 
be made to have the soil fine and moist at the time the plants 
are transferred from the hotbed to the open ground. If the soil 
is in proper condition, there should be no loss of plants due to 
transplanting. 

The proper time to set the plants in the open ground is wholly 
a local question. We should bear in mind that the cucumber is 
easily injured by frost, and that no amount of hardening in the 
hotbed or cold frame will enable the plants to withstand it. Each 
grower should make careful inquiry among old residents and ascer- 
tain the date when it is probably safe to plant in the field. 

The plants shoijld be taken from the pots with the least possible 
disturbance of the roots. Holes for the balls of earth should 
be made amply large and the soil should be pressed gently 
around the balls of earth so that they will not be broken. 

Planting distances for cucumbers are extremely variable ; 5X5 
feet apart is practically always satisfactory, even in the most 
fertile soils, and in thin, light soils less space may be allowed. 

1. When should pot-grown cucumber plants be transferred to the 

open ground ? W-VG : 334. C : 232. 

2. Give specific directions for setting pot-grown plants. 

W-VG : 334. C : 232. 



160 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

3. At what distances do you think you should set your plants ? 

W-VG : 334. C : 233. 

4. Make a thorough study of the roots of the cucumber. 

8. Planting seed in the garden. — The bulk of the cucumber 
crop is grown from seed, sown in the open ground. The soil 
should be properly prepared as explained in W : 157 and the seed 
planted at the distances suggested in W : 156. 

Inasmuch as the seed does not germinate for several days after 
it has been planted, it may be placed in the hills or drills probably 
a week earlier than it is desirable to set the hotbed grown plants 
in the open ground. Another factor to be considered in this 
connection is that the expense of starting a second lot of plants in 
hills is so slight that growers often take chances, and if the first 
lot is destroyed a second sowing is made. The seed need not be 
covered with more than half an inch of soil. After the plants are 
well started, they must be thinned to three or four in each hill. 

1. When should cucumber seed be planted in the open ground? 

W-VG : 334. C : 233. 

2. How many seeds should be planted in each hill and how deep 

should they be covered? 
W-VG : 334. C : 233. 

3. When should the plants be thinned and how many should be 

left in each hill ? W-VG : 334. C : 233. 

4. Do the growers of your community start their plants under glass 

or sow seed in the open ground? 

5. Study the germination of the cucumber seed before making the main 

'planting in the hotbed or garden. 



VINE CROP PROJECTS 161 

9. Companion cropping. — The cucumber is not extensively 
grown as a companion crop with other vegetables. Perhaps the 
bean is grown with it more generally than any other vegetable. 
There may be advantages in doing this, for rows of bush beans 
alternating with rows of cucumbers furnish considerable protec- 
tion to the young cucumber plants. This vegetable is not only 
injured or killed by frost, but it is greatly checked in growth by 
cold winds. The beans grow very rapidly so that they soon make 
quite an effective windbreak for the small cucumber plants. 
Again, the beans will be harvested and the plants may be removed 
before they interfere in any way with the development of the cu- 
cumber crop. If there is more than a five-foot space between the 
rows of cucumbers, it may be possible to intercrop with two rows 
of bush beans. Sweet corn may also be grown between cucumbers, 
and the partial shade seems to be favorable to the cucumbers. 

1. Do you think it would pay you to grow heana between the encumber 

rows ? 

2. Do you know of other crops that might he groum, with the cucumber? 

10. Cultivating. — The cucumber should receive thorough 
tillage. Some hoeing and hand weeding are generally necessary 
in and about the hills. W : 68. 

1. What implements will you need to cultivate the cucumbers? 

2. How often should the cucumbers be cultivated? 

11. Combating insects and diseases. — CL : 109-140. The cu- 
curbits probably suffer from insects more than almost any other 
group of plants. From the time the seed is planted until ma- 
turity, the crop is continually threatened by insects, many of 
which are very difficult to combat. In most instances only those 



162 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

remedies are useful which render the plant distasteful, as the 
pests cannot be killed by the usual spraying practices. 

The striped cucumber beetle is the familiar small yellow striped 
beetle which appears about the time the tender cucumber, squash, 
or melon leaves push through the ground. The beetles feed 
voraciously on the young cotyledons, which if left unprotected 
will be entirely destroyed. After satisfying their hunger, the 
adults deposit their light yellow eggs in the ground. The larvae 
hatch in about one week and work down the stem or under the 
vines, burrowing into the tissue, sometimes completely riddling 
the stem just below the ground. When mature the grubs enter 
the soil and in late summer the beetles emerge to feed on wild 
plants until cold weather begins. As a means of control, Bordeaux 
mixture is a good repellent. Garden plots can be protected with 
cheesecloth. Arsenical poisons are not effective. 

Cucurbits and melons are subject to several diseases which 
may be limiting factors in the production of the crop. Of these 
diseases the bacterial wilt, anthracnose, and mosaic are the most 
important. 

Bacterial wilt is a disease caused by bacteria which are spread 
by the striped cucumber beetles. The young plants droop and 
die within a few days after being attacked. Spraying the plants 
with lead arsenate powder, one half pound or one pound of the 
paste form to ten gallons of water, will protect the plants from 
the beetles and thus indirectly prevent the disease. 

Anthracnose attacks leaves, stems, and fruits and is often seen 
on the fruits when they reach the market. A definite sunken 
spot is produced which enlarges slowly until the rind is penetrated 
when a soft rot sets in and the entire fruit decays. The disease 
may be carried on the seed and therefore disinfecting the seed for 
five minutes in formaldehyde (1 teaspoonful to 1 pint water) is ad- 
visable. Spraying the plants with 4-4-50 Bordeaux is necessary 
to control the disease in the field. Rotation should be practiced. 



VINE CROP PROJECTS 163 

Mosaic or '' White Pickle " is a disease which causes a dwarfing 
and yellow mottling of the leaves and fruits. Infected plants 
produce few if any fruits. Removing and destroying the diseased 
plants as soon as they appear and dusting the patch with equal 
parts of tobacco and lime or spraying with nicotine sulphate (1 
teaspoonful to 1 gallon of water) to control the aphids will tend 
to keep this disease from spreading. 

1. Why is the beetle so injurious to young plants? CL : 110. 

2. Where do the larvw work? CL : 109-110. 

3. What is its life history f CL : 1 10-1 1 1 . 

4. Describe three control practices. CL : 111-112. 

5. What other beetles affect the cucumber? CL : 113-115, 133. 

6. How is the bacterial wilt spread? SH : 182. 

7. What parts are attacked by anthracnose and what are the most 

characteristic symptoms ? SH : 180-181. 

8. How may mosaic be diagnosed in the field? What are the 

approved methods of combating it ? 

12. Harvesting and marketing. — Cucumbers should be har- 
vested whenever they have attained a size wanted by your market. 
Sometimes such a good price can be obtained for the very small 
pickles that it does not pay to allow them to grow to any consid- 
erable size. However, the early market generally wants large 
cucumbers and good prices are paid for them, and the small 
pickles are produced and sold later in the summer or perhaps in the 
early fall. 

It pays to grade cucumbers and to pack them in clean, attractive 
packages. They may be sold by the dozen, by the hundred, or 



164 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

perhaps by the bushel. Growers should investigate the markets 
to be supplied and try to improve on the methods commojily em- 
ployed. 

1. At what stage of development should cucumbers be harvested 

for your market ? C : 239. 

2. Will it pay you to grade your cucumbers ? If so, how ? C : 239. 

3. What packages should you use ? C : 239. 

4. How many packages will you need to market your crop ? 

5. What should an acre of cucumbers yield in bushels and in dollars? 

W-VG : 336. 

6. Is it more profitable to grow small pickles than large, early cucum- 

bers f 

7. What recipes might be used m pickling cucumbers of different 

sizes f 

8. What is the nutritive value of cucumbers? How may they be 

served other than as pickles? 

13. Forcing. — The cucumber is very largely grown in American 
and English greenhouses. Students who are interested will find 
a complete discussion of the subject in W-VF : 300-345. 

Project IX. Growing Muskmelons 

The muskmelon is one of the cucurbits belonging to the same 
genus as the cucumber. It is supposed to be a native of East 
India. The plants are annual trailing herbs. Melons are true 
fruits. They vary considerably in shape and size. The fruit is 
botanically known as a pepo. This name applies to all fruits of 



VINE CROP PROJECTS 165 

the gourd family. Tlie outer rind is hard and the inner j)()rtion 
is softer and edible. There are several rather well-defined bo- 
tanical varieties of muskmelons, based largely on the character 
of the fruits. Netted melons include the common muskmelons. 
They are shallow-ribbed melons. The skin is usually netted, al- 
though sometimes almost smooth. The flesh may be green or 
salmon tinted. Cantaloupes or Rock melons are deeply furrowed 
or ribbed, have hard rinds, and are more or less scaly or warty. 
The so-called Rocky Ford Cantaloupes do not belong here ; they 
are netted melons. Pineapple melons are similar to the netted 
melons, differing chiefly in their oblong shape. SnaJxe melons 
have fruits many times longer than broad, greenish when ripe, and 
curved and furrowed. 

1. What garden crops are very close relatives of the musJcmelonf 

2. What is the character of the melon fruit? 

3. Upon what characters are the botanical varieties of melons largely 

based? 

Project Outline 

1 . Will muskmelons pay ? 

2. Selecting location. 

3. Choosing varieties. 

4. Obtaining seed. 

5. Starting early plants. 

6. Preparing the soil. 

7. Transplanting into the garden. 

8. Planting seed in the garden. 

9. Companion cropping. 

10. Cultivating. 

11. Combating insects and diseases. 

12. Harvesting and marketing. 



166 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

1. Will muskmelons pay ? — Muskmelons of high quality nearly 
always command good prices. Now and then we find a commercial 
grower who almost invariably produces muskmelons of superior 
merit, and in all such instances the demand far exceeds the supply. 
Consumers are constantly seeking melons of high quality and any 
producer who can grow them need not worry about a market. 

The production of muskmelons as a business proposition should 
not be undertaken unless the grower is assured that he has favorable 
conditions for the growing of good melons. If he has this assurance 
there is no reason why he should not make a business venture 
with this crop. However, it should be borne in mind that the 
production of muskmelons is considered a more difficult proposi- 
tion than the growing of cucumbers, but it is also more fascinat- 
ing, especially when the fruits attain the edible stage. 

1. What can be said about the demand for high-grade musk- 

melons ? 

2. Do you think it would pay you to grow muskmelons ? 

2. Selecting location. — We should bear in mind that the musk- 
melon is tender to cold and that we should select areas, if possible, 
well protected from the prevailing winds. With few exceptions, 
the large commercial plantations are made on sandy or gravelly 
soils because they are warmer and more favorable to the culture 
of this crop. Muskmelons may be grown with entire success in 
thousands of localities in the North where there are sandy areas, 
and many other soil types may be treated so as to grow at least fair 
crops. 

1. What are the most important factors in selecting a location for 
the growing of muskmelons ? 
W : 166. W-VG : 363, 364. L : 220. 



VINE CROP PROJECTS 167 

2. Arc muskmclons grown in your neighbor hood f If so, on what 

kind of soil? What is the exposure? Is there any protection 
from prevailing winds? 

3. Where are muskmelons most largely grown in the United States? 

C : 294. 

3. Choosing varieties. — There are so many varieties of musk- 
melons that it is usually a perplexing question to decide which 
ones will be most likely to give satisfactory results. The expe- 
rience of local gardeners, if they grow muskmelons, should prove 
exceedingly helpful. Certain types often prove most valuable 
for a given district. This whole problem should be investigated 
very carefully before any decision is made. It will be found in 
W-VG : 361-363 that there are numerous types and these vary 
greatly in size, shape, markings, and color and quality of flesh. 
Among the varieties most largely grown may be mentioned Rocky 
Ford, Emerald Gem, Montreal, Paul Rose, and Osage or Miller's 
Cream. The last-named variety is excellent for the local markets 
of most parts of the North. 

1. What varieties of melons do you think should be planted for 

your local market? What are your reasons for selecting 
them? W-VG : 361-363. 

2. What is known about the history of the muskmelon? W-VG : 360. 

3. What are its chief botanical characteristics ? W-VG : 360. W : 164. 

4. Name the most important types and the leading varieties of each 

type. W-VG: 361. C : 297. 

5. Secure samples of as many varieties as possible and classify them. 

How do they differ in color, texture, and quality of flesh? 



168 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

4. Obtaining seed. — The utmost cq,re should be exercised in 
purchasing or selecting seed. It is easily possible to make a com- 
plete failure in the growing of a good crop by the use of poor seed. 

1. Where can you purchase good muskmelon seed ? 

2. How would you proceed to grow and select your own seed? 

W-VG : 364. 

5. Starting early plants. — Early muskmelon plants may be 
started under glass in the same manner as early cucumber plants. 
W : 156. 

6. Preparing the soil. — The preparation of soil for musk- 
melons does not differ essentially from the preparation of soil 
for cucumbers, though it may be necessary to exercise more care 
where the soil and climatic conditions are not naturally favorable 
for muskmelons. In the small home garden we may go to the 
trouble of mixing sand with manure in the hills so as to provide 
the best physical condition. W : 52. 

7. Transplanting into the garden. — Pot-grown plants are trans- 
planted into the open ground in the same manner as cucumbers, 
but more space should be allowed; 6X6 feet apart is the most 
common distance for the planting of muskmelons. W : 159. 

8. Planting in the garden. — Seed may be planted in the garden in 
the same manner as cucumbers except that the hills should be about 
6X6 feet apart. W:156. W-VG : 370-373. L: 220-223. C : 295. 

9. Companion cropping. — Any system of companion cropping 
suitable for cucumbers will be found equally satisfactory for musk- 
melons. W:161. 

10. Cultivating. — The muskmelon requires thorough tillage 

until the crop is well advanced. 

1. What kind of tillage would you recommend for muskmelons? 
W-VG : 373. 



VINE CROP PROJECTS 169 

11. Combating insects and diseases. — Melon vines are visited 
by a small black louse (melon aphis) which curls the leaves, causes 
the fruit to ripen prematurely, and makes it worthless. If left 
unchecked the lice may eventually ruin an entire crop in a very 
few days. The life history of this species is not well understood, 
but as it feeds on a number of wild plants, these probably are the 
centers from which it is distributed to the field. The pest has a 
large number of natural enemies which under favorable circum- 
stances may check its increase. Fumigation of young plants is 
one means of control, and spraying with nicotine soap solution 
is a practical remedy in large fields. 

Diseases may also cause considerable loss, and to guard against 
their ravages some growers spray systematically with Bordeaux 
mixture. 

1. Why is the melon aphis a dangerous pestf CL : 136. 

2. Does it have any insect enemies f CL : 136-137. 

3. What are the principal control measures? 

CL : 137-138. W-VG : 376. 

4. What are the most serious diseases and what steps should he 

taken to control themf 
W-VG : 376. L : 229. C ; 296-297. 

12. Harvesting and marketing. — The quality of muskmelons 
will be sacrificed unless they are fully ripe when harvested. Some 
experience is necessary in order to avoid making too many mistakes 
by premature picking. The stems begin to separate from the 
fruit when ripe. In the marketing of high-grade fruits, there is an 
opportunity to resort to practice that will make the melons doubly 
attractive to both dealers and consumers. Some growers take 
the pains to wrap each specimen in waxed tissue paper and to 
market the melons in fancy packages. 



170 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

1. When should muskmelons be picked? What effect has pre- 

mature picking on the quality of the fruit? How can you 
tell when a melon is ripe ? W-VG : 373-375. 

2. How should the fruits be graded for market ? C : 298. 

3. What should be the yield of muskmelons to the acre f W-VG : 376 

Project X. Growing Watermelons 

The watermelon is a member of the gourd or cucurbit family 
but belongs to a group quite separate from the muskmelons. The 
plants are coarse ; the stems are hairy, angular, and somewhat 
branching ; the leaves are lobed and the flowers greenish yellow 
The fruit varies in shape and size. It may in some forms reach 
a weight of twenty-five pounds. The rind varies in thickness 
and is firm. The inner portion is tender, watery, and pulp-like, 
usually reddish, but in some forms purplish or white. The water- 
melon is a native of tropical Africa and has been in cultivation 
since prehistoric times. 

Project Outline 

1. Will watermelons pay ? 

2. Selecting location. 

3. Choosing varieties. 

4. Obtaining seed. 

5. Starting plants. 

6. Preparing the soil. 

7. Transplanting into the garden. 

8. Planting seed in the garden. 

9. Cultivating. 

10. Combating insects and diseases. 

11. Harvesting and marketing. 



VINE CROP PROJECTS 171 

Most of the general instructions given under Project VIII, 
''Growing Cucumbers," and Project IX, " Growing Muskmelons," 
are equally applicable to the growing of watermelons. The most 
important differences are pointed out in the following paragraphs. 

1. Will watermelons pay ? — There are a few sections of the 
North where the watermelon should have serious consideration as 
a home project. As previously stated the plant requires high 
temperature and a long season. If both soil and climatic condi- 
tions are favorable and a good market available, there is no reason 
why it should not be produced at a profit. 

1. Will it pay you to grow watermelons for market? L : 231. 

2. Where are watermelons most extensively groum for commercial 

'purposes? W-VG : 467. L:231. C : 455. 

3. What is the history of the ivatermelon? W-VG : 467. Trp : 1. 

4. How does it differ botanically from the muskmelonf 

Trp. 2-8. C : 456. 

2. Selecting location. — The watermelon should have the 
lightest soil and the warmest location that can be found. An 
old pasture sod on a southern slope is extremely desirable. 

W : 153, 154, and 166. W-VG : 468. Trp : 9-17. L : 231. 

1. Describe in detail the most suitable location for the growing of 
watermelons. Do you have a location that satisfies these 
requirements? W-VG : 468. Trp : 9-17. 0:457. 

3. Choosing varieties. — There are many good varieties of 
watermelons, and students should be familiar with the various 
classes as described in W-VG : 467. Among the most popular 
varieties may be mentioned Kleckley Sweet, Kolb Gem, Cuban 



172 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

Sweet, Halbert Honey, Dixie, and Sugar Stick. All of these varie- 
ties are listed and described in most of the seed catalogues. Cole 
and Fordhook are very early varieties and should have considera- 
tion for planting in districts which are not altogether suitable for 
the culture of melons. 

1. What varieties do you think would do well in your locality ? 

2. What varieties are most valuable for planting where the soil and 

climatic conditions are rather unfavorable for melons? 
W-VG : 468. C : 461 . Seed catalogues. 

3. Are melons grown in your neighborhood ? If so, what varieties ? 

4. Obtaining seed. — Excellent seed can usually be bought 
from dealers. Many commercial growers select their own seed. 
Trp. : 18-29. 

1. Where and how may good seed be obtained ? 
W : 155, 168. W-VG : 468. Trp : 18-29. 

5. Starting plants. — Early plants may be started under glass 
in the same manner as explained for cucumbers and muskmelons. 
W : 156. This is a distinct advantage in northern regions. 

W-VG: 366. Trp: 35-40. 

6. Preparing the soil. — In the North, even more care should 
be exercised in preparing the soil for watermelons than for cucum- 
bers and muskmelons. Select an old pasture sod, manure heavily 
with fresh strawy manure and plow in fall, replow in the spring, 
and harrow thoroughly. It is important to use in the hill an abun- 
dance of well-decayed stable manure. If a limited number of 
hills are to be planted, it may pay to mix a few shovelfuls of sand 
in each, besides manure and perhaps a little commercial fertilizer. 



VINE CROP PROJECTS 173 

Bone meal is especially valuable for mixing in the hill for this 
vegetable. 

I. What are the best directions for preparing the soil for a success- 

ful crop of watermelons on your farm ? 
W:172. W-VG:369. Trp : 30-34. L:231. C : 457. 

7. Transplanting into the garden. — The plants started under 
glass should be transplanted into the field in the same manner as 
explained for cucumbers and muskmelons (W : 159), except that 
the hills should be about 10X10 feet apart. 

W-VG : 469. Trp : 35-40. 

8. Planting seed in the garden. — The common practice is to 
plant the seed in hills about 10X10 feet apart, after the danger 
of killing frosts is practically past. Plenty of seed should be used 
in each hill in order to insure a good stand of plants, and then 
they should be thinned to three or four of the strongest. 

W : 160. W-VG : 369, 469. Trp : 41-45. C : 459. 

9. Cultivating. — Watermelons should have thorough tillage. 
Some hand-hoeing is always necessary. 

W : 161, 168. W-VG : 373. L : 232. C : 459. 

10. Combating insects and diseases. 

W : 161, 169. Trp : 68-89. C : 460. CL : 109. 

II. Harvesting and marketing. — Growers cannot be too 
careful in harvesting the melons at the proper time to secure the 
highest quality. It is largely a question of experience, but the 
observing student should not make many mistakes in this matter. 

Trp : 46-60. C : 462. 

1. How can you determine when a watermelon is ripe enough to 
pick ? W-VG : 469. Trp : 46-60. 

Project XI. Growing Squashes 

The words squash and pumpkin are rather loosely used to apply 
to various cucurbits. There are three different species and nu- 



174 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

merous varieties to which these names are apphed. It is almost 
impossible to know just what is meant by the terms squash and 
pumpkin unless other descriptive terms are used. The name 
squash is said to be adapted from an American Indian word. 
Some of the forms were being cultivated by the Indians when 
America was discovered, others are doubtless natives of tropical 
Asia and Africa. 

In some forms the plants are bushy ; others have trailing vines. 
The stems are rough and the trailing forms have a tendency to 
root at the nodes. The various forms differ in the shape of the 
leaves and the character of the fruit stalk, as well as in the fruits 
themselves. Three species may be recognized which are variously 
subdivided. These three species may be roughly separated as 
follows : 

(1) Pumpkin, summer squash, crookneck, scallop, and gourd 
(in part), having lobed leaves and ridged fruit stalks which are 
not enlarged next to the fruit. 

(2) Winter or Canada Crookneck squash and Cushaiv or pie 
pumpkin of the South, having lobed leaves and ridged fruit stalks 
which are much enlarged next to the fruit. 

(3) Hubbard, Turban, and Marblehead squash, having leaves 
not lobed, fruit stalks not much ribbed. 

In the first species, the true pumpkins, the plants have rather 
robust, long, trailing stems. This group includes the common and 
field pumpkins. The summer squashes, crooknecks, and scallops 
have bushy, more compact plants. In the summer squashes and 
crooknecks, the fruit has a narrow crooked neck and the rind is 
covered with warts or humps. The scallops have fruits broader 
than long, with scalloped edges and a smooth rind. The gourds 
have slender, running stems with fruits comparatively small and 
a very hard rind. They are not edible. In the second species 
the plants are compact, the fruit crooknecked and smooth. In 
the cushaw the fruit may be yellow, white, or striped. In the 



VINE CROP PROJECTS 175 

third group is the well-known and popular Hubbard squash. It 
has been suggested that the term squash shall be reserved for this 
group. The leaves are not lobed and the stalks of the fruit not 
ribbed. In this species fruits are never crooknecked. The 
mammoth squashes belong here. These have been known to 
grow to large sizes, weighing a hundred or even two hundred 
pounds. Within the three species there is without doubt crossing 
between the varieties, but it is not believed that the species will 
naturally cross with one another 

1. Why is it not possible to distinguish clearly between squashes and 

pumpkins? 

2. What two kinds of jdanfs are there? 

3. What are the three principal characters used to distinguish the three 

species ? 

4. What precaution needs to be taken to prevent crossing of these 

various forms? 

Project Outline 

1. Will squashes pay ? 

2. Selecting location. 

3. Choosing varieties. 

4. Obtaining seed. 

5. Starting plants. 

6. Preparing the soil. 

7. Transplanting into the garden. 

8. Planting seed in the garden. 

9. Cultivating. 

10. Combating insects and diseases. 

11. Harvesting and marketing. 



176 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

1. Will squashes pay ? — This will depend mainly on two fac- 
tors, first, whether you have a good market for squashes, and, 
second, whether you have a considerable area of well-drained land. 
The squash is not so exacting in its cultural requirements as the 
muskmelon and watermelon, and it may be readily grown through- 
out the North. The market demand, however, is very limited in 
most communities, so that we should be careful not to venture 
on too large a scale unless a good market is assured. 

1. Will it pay you to grow squashes ? W-VG : 427. 

2. Selecting location. — Squashes may be grown with entire 
success in a great diversity of soil types. Good drainage is essen- 
tial as is also high fertility. The sandy loams are preferred. 

1. Do you have suitable soil and climatic conditions for the growing 
of squashes? W:151. W-VG : 428. L:240. 

3. Choosing varieties. — The most important early bush or 
summer varieties are Early White Bush, Yellow Bush, Summer 
Crookneck, and Giant Crookneck. Winter varieties : Hubbard, 
Delicious, Essex Hybrid, and Boston Marrow. The Hubbard 
type is generally grown throughout the country. 

1 . What variety will be likely to pay you the best ? 
W-VG : 428. L : 237-240. C : 413-416, 420. 

4. Obtaining seed. — Good seed may be purchased or saved 
from home-grown specimens. W : 43, 155. 

5. Starting early plants. — Early plants may be started under 
glass in the same manner as other cucurbits. 

W : 156, 157. 

6. Preparing the soil. — The soil may be prepared in the same 
manner as for cucumbers or melons. 

W : 157, 168. W-VG : 428. L : 240. C : 415. 



VINE CROP PROJECTS 



177 




Fig. 41. — Various types of squashes. They are extremely variable in shape, 

size, and color. 




Fig. 42. — Squashes and pumpkins of the types shown in this illustration are 
especially desirable for the making of pies* 



7. Transplanting into the garden. — Squashes may be trans- 
planted in the same manner as other cucurbits. 
W: 159. 



178 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

8. Planting seed in the garden. — The early or bush varieties 
are planted in hills four or five feet apart each way, while the late 
sorts being vining are planted in hills ten to twelve feet apart. 

W : 160. W-VG : 428, 429. C : 415. 

9. Cultivating. — Thorough tillage for squashes is just as im- 
portant as for the other cucurbits. 

W:161. 

10. Combating insects and diseases. — Few insect pests are 
more widely known than the squash bug. The adult, a large brown- 
ish bug, passes the winter beneath rubbish, or in some conven- 
ient shelter. About the time squashes come up the bugs emerge 
and gather on the plants, sucking the juices and causing the leaves 
to wilt. The eggs, which are deposited in clusters on the under 
sides of the leaves, hatch in about six to fifteen days, and the 
grayish nymphs feed on the leaves for four or five weeks, reaching 
maturity in late summer. The adults are very resistant to con- 
tact sprays. Trapping the adults or spraying the young nymphs 
with tobacco decoction are the best remedies. Other sucking 
bugs attacking squash are horned squash bug, melon leaf bug, 
the southern and the northern leaf-footed plant bug. 

1. Why is the squash bug more troublesome in gardens than in 

larger plantations? CL : 117. 

2. Describe the appearance of an injured plant. CL:118. 

3. What is the life history of the squash bug? CL : 118. 

4. Give three control measures. CL : 119. 

5. What other insects attack the squash? CL: 119, 121. 

11. Harvesting and marketing. — The crop should be handled 
with great care so as to prevent bruising, for any injury may be 



VINE CUOP PROJECTS 179 

the cause of decay when the squashes are placed in storage. They 
should be harvested before the time of hard frosts and stored in a 
dry room where they will not freeze. Be sure that each specimen 
has its stem attached. A temperature of 50° or slightly above 
is most conducive to keeping squashes for a long period. 

1. Have you suitable conditions for the storage of squashes? 
What are they ? W-VG : 429. C : 417-419. 



CHAPTER SIX 

ROOT CROP PROJECTS 

The root crops, including the beet, carrot, radish, turnip, pars- 
nip, salsify, horse-radish, kohl-rabi, rutabaga, and celeriac, are 
grown with entire success at comparatively low temperatures, and 
they are generally cultivated throughout the North. They 
thrive best in moist, deep, fertile, sandy loams, but excellent 
roots are produced in a great diversity of soils. Sandy soils are 
favorable to their most symmetrical development, and there are 
fewer of the small, fibrous feeding roots, always objectionable, 
than when grown in heavy soils. 

Project XII. Growing Root Crops 

1. Importance of root crops. 

2. Selecting location. 

3. Choosing varieties. 

4. Sources of seed. 

5. Preparing the soil. 

6. When to plant. 

7. Spacing the rows. 

8. Drilling the seed. 

9. Companion cropping. 

10. Thinning the plants. 

11. Cultivating. 

12. Weeding. 

13. Combating insects. 

14. Harvesting and marketing. 

15. Storing root crops. 

16. Forcing. 

180 



ROOT CROP PROJECTS 181 

Though numerous questions are asked in the following project, 
very few page references are given, as it did not seem practicable 
to give the large number that would be requir'ed for the many 
vegetables of this group. Discussions of the various crops may 
be found in W-VG, L, and C, and also in bulletins. 

1. Importance of root crops. — It is impossible to estimate 
the importance of the root crops. They are grown in practically 
all gardens, either for the home table or for commercial purposes. 
The great city markets are never without them and thousands 
of bushels are placed in storage every year. Most of the root 
crops are easy to grow and the ambitious gardener may have one 
or two members of this group for sale every month of the year. 
They offer splendid financial possibilities. This is especially true 
of the beet, carrot, radish, and turnip. The other members of the 
group can often be produced at a profit. The growing of one or 
more of the root crops may well have serious consideration as a 
home project. It is important, of course, to determine market 
needs, and to regulate the plantings accordingly. 

1. What is the importance of the various root crops on your local 

market ? 

2. Will it pay you to grow any of the root crops ? If so, which ones ? 

3. How generally are the root crops grown? 

4. Name the root crops in order of their importance. 

5. What is the history of each of the root crops ? 

6. What are the chief botanical characteristics of each member of 

this group? 

7. Are the root crops " annuals " or " biennials "? 



182 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

8. How do the root crops differ in chemical composition f 

9. How are the various root crops served on the table? 

10. Are they essential in the diet, and how do they compare with the 
white potato in nutritive value? With the sweet potato? 





Fig. 43. — An excellent lot of turnip-shaped radishes. 

2. Selecting location. — The root crops, as previously stated, 
thrive at comparatively low temperatures so that there is no 
part of the North where they cannot be successfully grown. By 
taking advantage of the cooler months they may also be grown 
with gratifying results in most parts of the South. In the North, 
the most important factor in seeking a location is the soil. A 
considerable proportion of sand is always an advantage. Root 
crops do best, too, in soils abounding in humus, for such soils are 



ROOT CROP PROJECTS 183 

generally moist and fertile. Stones or rubbish of any kind inter- 
fere in the operations of drilhng, cultivating, and weeding. We 
should also avoid if possible locations containing large numbers of 
weed seeds, for these will be certain to add to the cost of produc- 
tion. It is essential, of course, that the land be well drained and 
it should be at least fairly level. 

1. Describe the ideal location for the growing of root crops. 

W : 180. 

2. Do you have a suitable location for root crop production ? 

3. What conditions should be avoided in the selection of a location ? 

4. Do you know of market gardeners who grow large quantities of 

root cropsf Describe their soils, and other cultural conditions. 

3. Choosing varieties. — In the selection of varieties the fol- 
lowing should have consideration : 

Beet, early : Crosby's Egyptian, Eclipse, Early Model, Egyp- 
tian. 

Beet, medium early : Detroit Dark Red, Edmonds Blood 
Turnip, Bastian Half Long. 

Beet, late : Long Dark Red, Philadelphia Half Long. 

Growers should also bear in mind that the turnip-shaped early 
varieties are extensively grown for winter use, but they are planted 
later than the strictly late varieties. 

Carrot, early : Early Short Scarlet, Early Scarlet Horn. 

Carrot, medium early : Chantenay, Danvers Half Long, Ox 
Heart, Rubicon. 

Carrot, late : Long Orange, and Medium Early varieties planted 
later than late sorts. 

Radish : Round Red Forcing, French Breakfast, Earliest White, 
Cardinal Globe, Crimson Giant, Chartier, White Icicle, Lady 
Finger. 




Fig. 44. — Good specimens of oblong-shaped radishes which are in demand on 

many markets. 




-I V.* 








t'lG. 45. — Long Cardinal radishes should not be planted in heavy soils. 

184 



I 



ROOT CROP PROJECTS 185 

Turnip : Purple Top Globe and Purple Top Strap Leaf. 
Parsnip : Guernsey and Hollow Crown. 

Salsify : Mammoth Sandwich Island, Long White, and Long 
Black. 

Kohl-rabi : White Vienna and Purple Vienna. 

1. What varieties of each class of the root crops would you select 

for early, medium, and late use ? 

2. How may the varieties of the various root crops he classified f 

3. Make a thorough study of all the varieties that can he found in your 

C07nmunity. 

4. Sources of seed. — It is important to determine as far as 
possible the sources of the best strains of seed. There is a great 
difference in the quality of root crop seeds. Some growers at- 
tach so much importance to this matter that they grow and select 
their own seed. This is especially true of the beet. The roots 
desired for the production of seed are selected with extreme care 
so as to secure the greatest uniformity in size, shape, and color. 
They are then stored during the winter as explained in W : 197 
and planted early in the spring. Gardeners will find the growing 
of root crop seeds a most interesting proposition and it is well 
worth the attention of thoughtful students. 

The principles involved in the production of garden seeds are 
discussed in W : 43. 

1. What may be said about the importance of obtaining superior 

root crop seeds? 

2. Where can you obtain high-grade seed of the different kinds of 

root crops? 



186 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



3. How much seed will you need for the various kinds of root 

crops ? 

4. How many years do the different root crop seeds retain their vitality f 

5. Under what conditions should they he stored? 




Fig, 46. — Early Model beets. 

6. Preparing the soil. — In W : 182 attention is called to the 
importance of the soil being well filled with organic matter, for 
soils deficient in humus never produce satisfactory root crops. 
The organic matter, too, must be well decayed. Fresh stable 
manures should never be employed in any considerable amount, 
for they encourage foliage development rather than root growth, 
while rotten manures have the opposite effect. The heaviest 
applications of composted or well-decayed manure may be made, 
thus increasing the size of the roots as well as their quality. If 
any coarse manure is to be used it should be plowed down, but 



ROOT CROP PROJECTS 187 

fine, decayed manure will be most beneficial if applied after plow- 
ing, and mixed thoroughly with the soil by harrowing. 

Commercial fertilizers are widely used in the growing of root 
crops. It is customary to apply plenty of phosphorus. Potash 
is also regarded as an important factor by most growers. Nitrogen 
is essential, but its excessive use has the same effect as heavy 
applications of fresh stable manure. Ordinarily, at least half a 
ton of high-grade fertilizer to the acre may be used profitably. 

The soil should be in a fine state of division before any seed is 
sown. (Students should look up W : 63 and all references.) 

1. What kind and how much stable manure should be applied for 

the growing of root crops ? W : 186. 

2. When and how should the stable manure be applied? W : 186. 

3. What would you recommend relative to the use of commercial 

fertilizer for the several root crops ? 

4. Make an estimate of your fertilizer needs, assuming that the 

materials are to be bought and mixed at home. What will 
the fertilizer cost per ton, mixed? 

5. How should your soil be managed to have it in a thoroughly 

fine state of division for sowing the seed? W : 63. 

6. Students will be interested in looking up the various methods 

employed by gardeners in the fertilizing of root crops. 

6. When to plant. — The beet, carrot, radish, and turnip each 
may be planted in succession, if desired, as early as the soil can be 
prepared in the spring, until midsummer. The parsnip and sal- 
sify are long season crops and should be planted very early in the 
spring. Horse-radish roots should also be planted early in the 
spring. 



188 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



1. When should the different root crops be planted? 

2. What is the relation of varieties to the time of planting ? 

7. Spacing the rows. — When the root crops are to be culti- 
vated with a hand 
wheel hoe, they are 
usually fourteen 
inches apart. Many 
growers prefer some- 
what more space for 
the parsnip, carrot, 
and late beets. 
Radish rows may be 
closer together than 
any of the other root 
crops. An increasing 
number of gardeners 
prefer to allow about 
two feet between rows 
and then cultivate the 
crops with a horse. 
While the wider plant- 
ing decreases the yield 
per acre it also re- 
duces the labor bill and makes possible a larger area under culti- 
vation with the labor available than when the work is done 
with hand wheel hoes. 




Fig. 47. — Salsify seedlings. Note on each plant 
the long roots with numerous laterals. 



1. How far apart should the rows of the different root crops be 
for wheel hoe tillage? For horse tillage? Which will pay 
you the best? 



ROOT CROP PROJECTS 



189 



8. Drilling the seed. — Germination tests should be made of 
each kind of seed to be planted and the rate of sowing regulated 
accordingly. The tendency in sowing all of the root crops is to 
use too much seed, thus 









xm{)'-imiM 




'^^^'^l';F;/^/^* 









increasing the labor of 
thinning in order to avoid 
a harvest of small roots, 
due to the crowding of the 
plants. It is exceedingly 
important to drill just 
the right amount. The 
literature of root crop 
seeding should be care- 
fully reviewed so that 
this serious mistake will 
not be made. 

The depth of covering 
should be regulated by 
the kind of seed and by 
the character of the soil. 
Most of the seeds should 
be covered with about 
half an inch of fine, moist 
soil. Hand drills are 
essential in large market 
gardens, but in small 
gardens the seeds may 
be distributed rapidly in 
shallow furrows by the use of an envelope as explained in 
W : 53. After the furrow has been closed with the back of a 
garden rake or other convenient tool, firming the soil with 
the hoe or with the feet brings the particles of moist soil 
into close contact with the seeds, thus causing them to 



I. 



Fig. 48. — Good roots of salsify. 



190 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

germinate more promptly and to give a larger percentage 
of germination. 

1. What would you recommend in regard to germination tests of 

root crop seeds ? 

2. About how many seeds should be dropped to the linear foot of 

row for a good stand of each of the root crops ? 

3. What should be the depth of covering for the seeds of each of 

the root crops when planted in your particular soil ? 




Fig. 49. — This illustration shows the various types of carrots, ranging from al- 
most round to very long roots. 

4. Explain the details of making the furrows, distributing the seed, 

closing the furrows, and firming the soil. 

5. How will you make the rows perfectly straight and the inter- 

spaces uniform in width ? 

6. What is the character of the mechanism of a good hand wheel 

drill? 

7. Can you determine the relative cost of sowing an acre by hand 

versus with a wheel hoe f 



ROOT CROP PROJECTS 

8. Do you recommend a combination drill and cultivator f 

9. Would it pay you to own a drill f Why f 

10. Does a drill do the work as well as it can be done by hand? 



191 



9. Companion cropping. — The root crops afford scores of 
opportunities for companion cropping. All sorts of combinations 
may be made within this group and also with many other vege- 
tables. Students will find it interesting to work out different 
plans of companion cropping, including one or more with root 
crops. The following references will be found helpful : W-VG : 
477,478,479,480,481,487. 

10. Thinning the plants. — Gardeners may be so skillful in 
regulating the rate 
of seeding that little 
if any thinning will 
be required. As a 
rule, however, some 
thinning is necessary. 
It should be done as 
promptly as possible, 
or before crowding 
has caused any of the 
plants to become 
spindling. The num- 
ber of plants to each 
foot of row depends so much on the varieties selected and 
the size of the roots desired that it is impossible to give satis- 
factory general directions. Early button or turnip-shaped radishes 
may stand an inch apart ; late ones, two inches or more ; early 
beets, two or three inches ; late varieties, four to six inches ; 
early carrots, one to two inches ; late ones, three to five inches, 




Fig. 50. — Kohl-rabi must be grown rapidly and 
harvested promptly to secure the highest quality. 



192 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

unless very small roots are wanted ; early turnips, a couple 
of inches ; late ones, four to six ; parsnips, four to six ; salsify, 
three to four. 

Various kinds of small tools are available for thinning. It is 
often a matter of destroying whole clusters of surplus plants. 

1. How far apart should the plants of early and late root crops stand 

in the row ? 

2. What is an efifective method of thinning ? 

11. Cultivating. — Thorough tillage is a most important factor 
in the growing of root crops. Tillage should begin as soon as the 
rows can be seen and repeated as often as may be necessary until 
the roots are fully developed. Wheel hoes with various attach- 
ments are universally employed. They are great labor-saving 
implements and should be used instead of hand hoes whenever it 
is possible. 

1. Describe the character of the cultivation required to grow good 

root crops. W : 186. 

2. What tools are necessary ? 

3. Explain the uses of the various attachments of hand wheel hoes. 

4. Explain the uses of the various types of hand hoes. 

12. Weeding. — Even with the most thorough cultivation, 
more or less hand weeding is necessary in growing root crops. 
Various kinds of small tools, referred to in W : 305, are available to 
facilitate this work. It is necessarily a tedious and expensive 
operation, and should be reduced to a minimum by the proper 
use of cultivators. 

1. What tools do you think you should have for weeding ? 



ROOT CROP PROJECTS 



193 



13. Combating insects and diseases. — Root crops are injured 
by insects that suck the leaf juices, eat the foUage, or mine the 
leaves or roots. Radishes destroyed by root maggots and flea 
beetles, or carrots injured by the carrot rust fly, are interesting 
examples. The spinach louse (spinach aphis) is a very common 
pest of truck crops, 
feeding generally on a 
number of different 
plants in the field, or 
in the greenhouses 
where it may pass the 
winter. The pinkish 
or pale yellow soft- 
bodied lice multiply 
very rapidly, sucking 
the plant juices, and 
when abundant caus- 
ing the leaves to curl 
and dwarfing the 
roots. This insect is easily destroyed by spraying with a con- 
tact insecticide. On those crops where the leaves grow close to 
the ground some difficulty may be experienced in applying the 
spray. A spray boom devised for this purpose is very satisfactory 
in field practice. 

Swarms of beet leaf hoppers often appear in fields of beets 
through large areas of many of the western states. Beet roots 
are subject to a disease known as curly top, which is trans- 
mitted by these insects as they migrate from one field to 
another. Curiously enough the hoppers which travel from a 
great distance are the most to be feared, as those which hibernate 
in near-by fields seldom do much damage. Injuries from the 
pests are apt to be periodical as they seem to avoid working in 
fields which were infested during the previous season. The insect 




Fig. 51. 



Swiss chard, botanically a beet which is 
most excellent for greens. 



194 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



is single brooded. It inserts eggs into the thickened stem and 
larger leaf veins, and these hatch about fifteen days later, when the 
nymphs work into the heart of the plant. Little progress has 
been made in the control of the insect, and therefore of the disease. 

As a commercial practice, 
spraying appears to be un- 
profitable and of doubtful 
efficiency. 

The common name " leaf 
miner " given to the spinach 
leaf miner describes the nature 
of its larval work. The larva 
eats into the tissue of the leaf, 
making a thread-like mine 
which by continued eating is 
enlarged like a blotch. This leaf injury dwarfs the roots or 
spoils the leaves if used for greens. The adult fly, a two-winged 
fly, appears in the fields early in the spring and deposits eggs 
on one side of a leaf. These hatch, and the young larva, 
working in the leaf, becomes mature in about a week, when it 
deserts the leaf and enters the soil to pupate. Clean culture 
may be a means of control. There is no satisfactory remedy. 




Fig. 52. — Spinach and beet leaf miner. 



1. Why is the spinach aphis such a serious pest f CL : 105-106. 

2. What is its life history f CL : 105-106. 

3. How can it be controlled f CL : 107. 

4. Describe an improved type of oprayer. 



5. How can radishes be protected from root maggots? CL : 36. 



ROOT CROP PROJECTS 195 

6. How does the ivork of the carrot rust fly on celery and on carrots 

differ f CL:153. 

7. What is the relation of curly top disease to leaf hopper attacks on 

beets f CL:93. 

8. Do hoppers from near-by fields endanger the cropf CL : 93. 

9. What is the life history of the beet leaf hopper f CL : 94. 

10. How does the insect feed? CL:94. 

11. What are some other insects injuring root crops? CL : 90-107. 

12. What are the common and cultivated food plants of the spinach 

leaf miner? CL: 90-91. 

13. What form of the insect causes the damage? CL : 91-92. 

14. What is the nature of the injury ? CL : 91-92. 

15. What control measures are practiced? CL : 92. 



14. Harvesting and marketing. — Root crops are usually har- 
vested as soon as they attain marketable size, for any considerable 
delay is certain to result in depreciation of the quality, the roots 
becoming pithy, tough, or fibrous. This is especially true of the 
radish. Even a few days may make a great difference in the 
quality of early radishes, for they soon attain an abnormal size, 
with accompanying pithiness or toughness, and a sharp, unpleasant 
flavor. 

It is also exceedingly important to sell early beets while they 
are tender and succulent, and, though small in size, they may 
command better prices than if allowed to grow for several weeks 



196 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



longer. The same may be said of early turnips, carrots, and 
kohl-rabi, the latter crop having an enlarged stem rather than 
an edible root, although often classed as a root crop. 

Parsnips and salsify are extremely hardy roots and are seldom 
injured by the severest winter temperatures, especially if the 
ground is well covered with snow. While they may be dug in the 
fall and stored for winter use, and it is desirable to harvest some 

of the roots for this 
purpose, the usual 
custom is to leave 
most of the roots 
in the ground until 
spring. 

Late beets, carrots, 
and turnips should 
be harvested in the 
fall before there is 
hard freezing weather 
and placed in storage 
(W:197). Though 
beets with their tops on are sometimes kept in trenches during 
the early winter and sold as " bunch beets," the usual custom 
is to cut off the tops of all late root crops before burying them 
or placing them in other storage. 

Early beets, radishes, and carrots are generally sold in bunches, 
the number per bunch varying according to the market require- 
ments. Before deciding upon any given number per bunch, the 
markets to be supplied should be investigated, which should be 
a guide to all marketing preparations. The roots are generally 
washed after they have been tied into bunches. If the roots are 
very attractive it may pay to use fancy tying material such as 
blue and red tape, about i inch wide, now sold by garden supply 
houses. 




Fig. 53. — Home hampers are very useful for the 
selling of parsnips, parsley, and various other 
vegetables. 



ROOT CROP PROJECTS 197 

1. At what stage of development should root crops be harvested ? 

2. Why is it important to harvest early root crops as promptly as 

possible ? 

3. Which of the root crops may be left in the ground all winter? 

4. How should early root crops be prepared for market? Late 

root crops? 

5. Can you suggest any improvement in the methods employed in 

marketing root crops iii your community f 

15. Storing root crops. — Millions of bushels of root crops are 
stored every year. The number of permanent storage pits and 
houses is constantly increasing. Some of the pits are very simple 
and inexpensive to construct. They are often built of concrete 
and covered with enough soil or litter of some kind to prevent 
the roots from freezing. Plans for such pits or houses may be 
obtained from most of the agricultural colleges. 

The home project gardener, however, may not have such a pit, 
and he may not have the means to construct one for the first crop 
or two. In that event, he can bury the roots so that they will 
keep in perfect condition. A well-drained location should be 
found. The roots, such as beets, carrots, turnips, parsnips, and 
salsify, may be piled on top of the ground, or if the drainage is 
good, an excavation eight to ten inches in depth may be made. 
In either case the roots should be first covered with four to six 
inches of straw and then several inches of soil, and as the winter 
comes on soil applied to depth of one foot, with enough horse 
manure to protect the roots from freezing. In most parts of the 
North a covering of manure half a foot deep on top of the soil 
will be necessary to insure the safety of the roots. The pit may 
be opened on mild days during the winter to remove all or part of 



198 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 




ROOT CROP PROJECTS 199 

the roots, or it may remain undisturbed until some time in March. 
The roots should be in i)erfect condition when taken from the pit. 

1. What are the most favorable conditions for the storage of root 

crops ? 

2. What are the best directions for burying root crops ? 

3. Make plans for a simple concrete storage pit that would hold 50 to 

100 bushels of roots. What would it cost f Could you build it f 

4. Will it pay you to store root crops for winter and spring sales f 

Why or why notf 

What prices do root crops generally command on your local mar- 
kets f 

16. Forcing. — Carrots are grown to some extent in cold 
frames, and radishes are largely grown both in frames and in 
greenhouses. The soil should be prepared with great care. The 
rows are generally much closer together than in out-of-door 
plantations, for it is not uncommon to make them only four or 
five inches apart. 

Radish forcing is fully discussed in W-VF : 246-259, 387-40G. 



CHAPTER SEVEN 
TUBER CROP PROJECTS 

Potatoes and sweet potatoes comprise the tuber crop group. 
They are so different in soil and climatic requirements that com- 
paratively few instructions relating to their culture apply equally 
well to both vegetables. Sweet potatoes grow best in sandy soils 
and in the warm climates with long seasons, while the potato 
produces the most satisfactory crops in sandy loams or in other 
types of soils which do not become too compact, and in climates 
which are fairly cool. 

Project XIII. Growing Potatoes 

The potato belongs to the potato family. Another important 
commercial plant belonging to this family is the tomato. Closely 
related, although quite different plants, are the common or black 
nightshade and the bittersweet. The potato is a native of South 
America, where it was doubtless first cultivated by the people of 
Chili and Peru. Unlike the tomato the potato grows best in a 
cool, moist climate. This fact can be appreciated when it is 
known that our best potato-producing regions in the United States 
are our northernmost states. 

The roots of the potato plant are fine and fibrous. The '' po- 
tatoes," or as they are properly known, tubers, are often considered 
a part of the root system but they are in reality underground stems. 
These underground stems grow out to a length of three or four 
inches from the main axis or stem and their tips become swollen to 
form the tubers. The fact that the tubers are modified stems is 

200 



TUBER CROP PROJECTS 201 

evidenced by the eyes, which are rudimentary buds. True roots do 
not have buds. Sometimes tubers form in the axils of the leaves 
above ground, and only stems or shoots could grow in such a 
location. The formation of tubers above ground is usually an 
indication of the presence of a fungous disease, but it is a proof 
of the true nature of the tuber. 

The stems which bear the leaves are of the ordinary kind and 
are usually smooth at first, but they develop ribs as they grow 
older. The leaves may be simple when first developed, but they 
become compound. The leaves of the different varieties vary con- 
siderably in appearance. The flowers of the potato are regular 
and vary from white to yellow, purple, or blue. Some varieties 
seldom bloom and even when flowers are produced the fruits are 
only rarely developed. The fruit is a globoid berry resembling 
a very small tomato, and is called by different names, the most 
common being '* potato ball " or " seed ball." The seeds are 
small and numerous. Potatoes are rarely propagated by seed 
except by plant breeders who desire to cross or improve varie- 
ties. Every one is familiar with the common method of prop- 
agation by tubers. We are so accustomed to propagating 
plants by seed that the expressions '' seed tubers " or '' seed 
potatoes " are only natural, but we must keep in mind that the 
tubers are not seeds." 

1. Where ivas the potato first cultivated? 

2. Under what conditions does the potato thrive best? 

3. What part of a plant is a tuber f 

4. What is the nature of a healthy potato leaf? 

5. What conditions of the leaves indicate diseases? 



202 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

6. Does the blooming of potato plants necessarily have any connection 

with the production of tubers f 

7. What are ''potato balls " or " seed balls "f 

8. For what purpose may potato balls be propagated by real seeds ? 

9. What is the usual method of potato propagation ? 

Project Outline 

1. Why grow potatoes? 

2. Selecting location. 

3. Choosing varieties. 

4. Obtaining seed. 

5. Preparing the soil. 

6. When to plant. 

7. Cutting the tubers. 

8. Planting. 

9. Cultivating. 

10. Combating insects and diseases. 

11. Harvesting. 

12. Storing and marketing. 

1. Why grow potatoes ? — The potato is one of the most im- 
portant food crops of the United States. It is grown in all parts 
of the country and is consumed in large amounts by practically 
all classes of people. Good local markets for this crop may be 
found in almost every county. As a business proposition the cul- 
ture of the potato deserves careful consideration. The crop is not 
difficult to grow, and it offers special inducements to those who 
understand and apply the principles relating to its culture. 

It is estimated that the average annual world crop of potatoes 
is about 5,000,000,000 bushels, 90% of which is grown in Europe. 



TUBER CROP PROJECTS 203 

The growing of j)()tatoes fits well into the various rotations of 
general farm crops. It is an excellent crop to follow clover and 
provides a cash return that makes it peculiarly attractive to 
thousands of farmers. For example, in a survey in Chester 
County, Pennsylvania, potato plantings were found on 366 of 
378 farms investigated. 

1. How generally is the potato grown in the United States? 

Gi : 5-13. 

2. Do you think it would pay you to make potato culture a home 

project ? If so, why ? 

3. What is known about the history of the potato? Gi : 14-20. 

4. To what extent is the potato grown in other countries? Gi : 1-13. 

5. What are the uses of the potato? Gi : 259-284. 

6. HoiD does the potato compare with the root crops in composition 

and food value? Fr: 166-170. 

7. Discuss the various ways of serving potatoes. 

2. Selecting location. — As previously indicated the potato 
is best adapted to a cool, moist climate. It is largely for this 
reason that European yields exceed the crops obtained in the 
United States. The average yield for the United States in 1914 
was 96 bushels to the acre, while for the same year it was 130 for 
France, 311 for the Netherlands, 388 for Belgium, 210 for Great 
Britain, and 200 for Germany. 

In this connection we should not lose sight of the fact that 
far more intensive methods are employed in Europe, so that the 
larger yields obtained there are not wholly attributable to more 
favorable climatic conditions. 



204 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



Even in the northern half of the United States, the summers 
are too hot for the best results with potatoes. Many growers, 
however, are able to provide and maintain such favorable soil 
and cultural conditions that heavy crops of potatoes are grown 
year after year in spite of our comparatively long, hot summers. 

Heavy, compact soils should always be avoided, if possible, in 
selecting a location for the potato. Sandy soils are eniployed 
largely in southern districts because they produce a very early 
crop, but they are not adapted to the late crop because of their 
deficiency in moisture. In most of the important potato growing 
districts of the North the soils vary from sandy loams to gravelly 
loams. Whatever the type, it should be loose and friable. The 
clay and silt soils are not so favorable to the production of a large 
crop of good tubers, and when it is necessary to use such soils they 
should be supplied with a large amount of organic matter. 

The summer rainfall of the United States is also generally 
insufficient for a maximum yield of potatoes, so that naturally 
moist but well-drained soils should be selected for this crop. 

1. Do you have a suitable location for growing potatoes ? 

. 2. What kind of soil should be selected for this crop ? 
Gi: 86-112. Fr: 17-25. 

3. What are the soil moisture requirements for potatoes ? 

Gi:92. Fr:8. 

4. How do the European climates compare with that of the United 

States in their adaptation to potato culture? 
Gi : 87, 



5. What do you know about the soil and climate of Aroostook County, 
Maine, where potatoes are grown so extensively? 



TUBER CROP PROJECTS 205 

3. Choosing varieties. — In the choosing of varieties, a number 
of factors should be considered, the following being the most im- 
portant : (1) Quality. Consumers are demanding quality. They 
want tubers that are mealy, not soggy, when boiled, and that are 
also mild in flavor. (2) Yield. Some varieties produce much 
heavier crops than others. Early varieties do not yield so well 
as late ones. As a rule the tendency -is to sacrifice quality for 
quantity, and this tendency is unfortunate because consumers are 
generally willing to pay a good price for potatoes of high quality. 
(3) Shape. The flat-round and oval tubers are the most popular 
shapes. Deep and numerous eyes are objectionable. (4) Disease 
resistance. Some varieties are more resistant to disease than 
others, and they are also more vigorous in growth. 

Among the early varieties, Early Ohio and Irish Cobbler are 
very popular, the former being of high quality. Popular late 
varieties are Green Mountain, Rural New Yorker, Carman No. 1, 
Carman No. 3, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Heath's Late Beauty. 

An excellent plan is to consult your dealer and vour neighbor 
farmers before making a final decision concerning varieties which 
will pay best on your particular soil and market. It is also exceed- 
ingly important to select varieties with special references to 
disease resistance as, for example, the dreaded potato wart disease. 

1. What factors should have consideration when choosing varieties 

of potatoes to be planted ? 
Fr: 71-86. 

2. What are the leading early varieties, and which one will be 

likely to pay you best ? 
Fr : 87-90. 

3. What are some of the leading late varieties, and which will 

pay you best ? 
Fr : 87-90. 



206 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

4. What special preference has your market? 

5. How can you determine the quality of a variety? Fr : 72-74. 

6. What ca7i be said about the starch content of potatoes f 

Fr : 72-74. Gi : 265, 270. 

7. How may varieties be classified? Gi : 21-46. 

8. How does the character of the soil affect the quality of the tubers? 

4. Obtaining seed. — Large yields of potatoes cannot be ob- 
tained without the use of good seed. By good seed is meant 
soHd, dormant, disease-free tubers, selected from high yielding 
plants. It is not often possible to buy seed that is satisfactory 
in all these respects, especially with reference to high yielding 
plants. This point, however, should have consideration in the 
home project, if potatoes are to be grown the following year. 
Numerous experiments have shown that it pays to select seed 
from healthy plants producing heavy crops of large, smooth 
tubers. This is a matter which requires considerable time, but 
it is time profitably spent. 

When it is necessary to purchase seed, extreme care should be 
exercised. A common practice is to plant seed grown in a more 
northern section, but such seed has little if any advantage over 
home-grown seed provided the latter is produced intelligently and 
stored under the most favorable conditions. If the tubers are 
allowed to wither and produce long sprouts before they are planted, 
satisfactory results cannot be expected. 

1. How and where can you obtain good seed? Fr: 51. 

2. What constitutes good seed ? 



TUBER CHOP PROJECTS 207 

3. How should seed be stored to keep in good condition ? 

Fr : 53-54. 

4. Has northern-grown seed any advantages over home-grown? 

Fr : 51. 

5. How would you proceed to select your own seed? 

Fr : 74. Gi : 54-85. 



5. Preparing the soil (W : 63-204). — When making preparation 
for a successful crop of potatoes, we should bear in mind that 
much will depend on our skill in controlling soil moisture. We 
have learned that this crop must have a large amount of water if 
a satisfactory yield is to be expected, and the soil management 
should be such as will conserve as much moisture as possible for 
the benefit of the potatoes. 

Potatoes are nearly always grown in rotation with other crops. 
On Long Island and in a few other sections they are grown on the 
same soil year after year, but the practice should not be recom- 
mended. In general farming regions red clover or grass of some 
kind nearly always precedes potatoes. Probably no crop is better 
for this purpose than red clover because it leaves the soil in a loose, 
friable condition and makes large contributions to the soil supply 
of nitrogen and organic matter. 

Stable manures are very generally used for the growing of po- 
tatoes, and the amount varies from 10 to 25 tons to the acre. It 
is doubtful whether the very large applications of manure are as 
profitable as smaller amounts — 10 to 15 tons — supplemented 
with commercial fertilizers. The manure, too, should be at least 
partially decayed, and, if possible, it should be applied in the fall 
before the land is plowed. 

Fall plowing is always an advantage from the standpoint of 
soil moisture, if the land is harrowed just as early in the spring as 



208 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



it is dry enough to work. Not a day nor an hour should be lost 
in harrowing, in order that the escape of moisture from surface 
evaporation may be reduced to a minimum. A fine soil mulch 
should be maintained by harrowing until the potatoes are planted, 
and then weeders and cultivators should be used for the same 
purpose. 

There is a very great difference in practices relative to the use of 
commercial fertilizers for potatoes. The growers of early potatoes 
on light sandy soils used an immense quantity of high-grade 
complete fertilizer before the World War. It was not uncommon 
to apply a ton of fertilizer to the acre, which contained 4 to 6 per 
cent of nitrogen and 8 to 10 per cent of each of the mineral 
elements. 

When a clover sod or other leguminous crop is plowed down for 
late potatoes it is unnecessary to use as much nitrogen as for the 
early crop, especially in light soils. Under most conditions in the 
North, it is likely that 2 or 3 per cent of available nitrogen in a 
1000 pound application to the acre will furnish as much nitrogen, 
in addition to the nitrogen of the legume plowed down, as will be 
required to secure a satisfactory growth of plants. It is admitted 
by most growers that liberal amounts of the mineral elements are 
essential, though very large crops were grown during the war 
without applications of potash. Ordinarily, about 150 pounds of 
nitrate of soda, 500 pounds of 16% acid phosphate, and 300 pounds 
of muriate of potash, used as a supplement to stable manure, or 
after a clover sod is plowed down, will give good results, if other 
conditions are favorable. The fertilizer, however, should not be 
applied until spring, when the land is harrowed. If the plowing 
is not done in the fall, it should have the earliest attention in the 
spring. 

Inasmuch as fresh lime encourages the development of scab on 
potatoes, the liming should be done in connection with other crops, 
preferably the cereal which precedes the clover. 



TUBER CROP PROJECTS 209 

1. What are some satisfactory crops to precede potatoes ? Why 

do you think they are desirable? 
Fr : 26-29. 

2. Should stable manure be used for potatoes? If so, what 

kind? How much? When applied? 
Fr : 30, 36-39. Gi : 130. 

3. When should land be plowed for this crop ? When should it 

be harrowed ? 

4. Should commercial fertilizers be employed for potatoes? 

Make specific recommendations for various conditions. 
Fr: 30-50. Gi: 113-132. 

5. What kinds and how much fertilizer will you need for your 

potato project? 
Gi: 112-132. 

6. What should be the texture and structure of soils for the growing 

of this crop? 

7. What are the functions of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus in 

the growing of potatoes? Fr : 31-36. Gi : 119-126. 

8. Should lime be used for potatoes? If so, what kind, how much, 

and when applied? Gi : 124. 

9. Ascertain the character of the fertilizer treatments generally 

employed in the leadhig potato growing districts of the United 
States and Canada, hi European countries. 

10. What lessons do the agricultural experiment stations teach on 
fertilizer treatments ? 

6. When to plant. — Very early potatoes are generally planted 
about as soon as the ground can be prepared in the spring. Late 



210 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

potatoes are planted in most northern sections from about the 
middle of May until the middle of June, or even later sometimes. 
Perhaps the safest guide as to the time of planting is to make in- 
quiry among local growers. Most farm communities have one 
or more highly successful potato growers and their judgment in 
this matter should be a safe guide. 

1. When do you think potatoes should be planted in your com- 

munity? What are your reasons for selecting a certain 
time ? 

2. When are potatoes planted in the leading potato-growing districts 

of the United States and Canada? Fr : 96. Gi : 142-146. 

3. What factors should be considered in deciding on the date of 

planting f Fr : 97. Gi : 142-146. 

7. Cutting seed. — Yields are reduced by cutting the seed 
several days or more in advance of planting. It is always best 
to cut the seed the same day it is planted, or at most not more 
than twenty-four hours before the cut pieces will be planted. 

Numerous experiments have been made to determine the best 
size of the pieces. This depends upon a number of factors such 
as the amount of seed available, cost of seed, fertility of the soil, 
variety to be planted, culture given, and the probable price that 
will be realized for the crop. Generally speaking, the pieces should 
be fairly large and should contain at least one good eye; two 
are better. In very rich garden soils the pieces need not be so 
large as in poorer soils. It is desirable when possible to cut the 
tubers so that one or more eyes at the stem end of the tuber will 
be included in the piece. Some tubers should be halved through 
the center of the group of eyes at the seed end. Larger tubers may 
be quartered from end to end, while others will make three good 
pieces. If the pieces are fairly large and contain at least one good 



TUBER CROP PROJECTS 211 

eye, they should give satisfactory results, other conditions being 
favorable. 

From eleven to twelve bushels of seed to the acre are generally 
planted in America, though many prominent growers use a 
larger amount. 

1. What are the factors that should be considered in determining 

the size of seed pieces ? Fr : 60-62. Gi : 156. 

2. How many eyes should the pieces contain ? 

Fr: 60-62. Gi : 157-159. 

3. Explain how the tubers should be cut. Fr : 61. Gi : 157-159. 

4. How many bushels will you need or your project? Gi : 159. 

5. Does it pay to sprout potatoes before they are planted? Fr: 54-59. 

6. What are some of the lessons taught by the agricultural experiment 

stations relating to the cutting of seed potatoes ? 
Fr : 57-69. 

8. Planting. — The soil should be in a fine state of division 
before starting to plant potatoes. Most American potato growers 
space the rows 30 to 36 inches apart, the closer spacing being 
favorable to the largest yield. In small gardens which are culti- 
vated with wheel hoes, the rows, especially of early varieties, need 
not be more than 26 inches apart. Though potatoes are sometimes 
planted in hills, the more common practice is to distribute the 
pieces 12 to 14 inches apart in drills. This gives each plant the 
best opportunity for development and the plan is the most favor- 
able for large yields. 

The proper depth of planting is a matter which should have the 
most careful consideration. In light, friable soils it is universally 
conceded that the seed should be planted about four inches deep, 
because this depth of planting is most advantageous from the 



212 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



standpoint of soil moisture and low temperature for the roots. 
In heavy soils the depth of planting should be Jess, and then ridg- 
ing may be practiced about midsummer so as to provide sufficient 
soil for the development of the tubers. 

1. What are the proper distances foi- the planting of potatoes ? 

Fr : 91-93. Gi : 146-148. 

2. How deep should potatoes be planted in different types of soils ? 

Fr : 93-96. 

3. Describe the mechofnism and advantages of an approved potato 

planter. Fr : 98-104. 



9. Cultivating. — The potato requires 




Fig. 55. — This illustration shows the potato leaf in 
cross section, also a portion of the lower surface. 
Note the vascular arrangement, also the large 
air spaces, and stomata ( ' ' breathing spores") . A 
film of the proper material protects this potato 
leaf. 



just as thorough culti- 
vation as any other 
garden crop. The 
surface of the soil 
must be kept in a 
fine, loose condition. 
Weeders should be 
used immediately 
after planting until 
the plants are at 
least six inches high, 
and then various 
types of cultivators 
may be employed. If 
the cultivating is skill- 
fully managed, very 
few weeds will have a 
chance to grow to any 
considerable size. 



TUBER CROP PROJECTS 213 

1. What implements will you need to cultivate your potatoes? 

Fr: 107-110. Gi : 100-169. 

2. Give complete instructions for the season's tillage operations. 

Fr: 105-110. Gi : 160-169. 



10. Combating insects and diseases. — It is impossible to pro- 
duce a good crop of potatoes without the proper control of disease 
and insect enemies. Apparently a large percentage of commercial 
growers do not fully appreciate this factor in the successful pro- 
duction of potatoes. 

If we fully realized the function of perfect, healthy foliage in 
the growing of large tubers, more attention would be given to pro- 
tecting the leaves against the attack of both insects and diseases. 
Let us remember that the leaves are the great laboratories of the 
plant and that the tubers cannot develop without them. The 
elements which enter the plant through the roots and leaves are 
combined into starch in the leaves and then transported through 
the stem and stored in the form of tubers. It is readily seen, 
therefore, that any curtailment in leaf surface, due to the ravages 
of insects and diseases, will certainly limit the plant in its ability 
to produce starch and tubers. If there is only half a crop of 
leaves we cannot expect more than half a crop of tubers, while a 
full crop of leaves, accompanied by favorable cultural conditions, 
should result in a full crop of tubers. The problem, then, is how to 
save all the leaves in a perfect state of health. 

Insects and diseases affecting the foliage may be controlled by 
spraying. The first applications should be made before the 
enemies appear, and this means soon after the plants are up. 
Flea beetles may be the first to arrive and Bordeaux mixture will 
repel them. Additional applications should be made as often as 
may be necessary to keep the leaves well protected. 

Both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves must be 



214 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



thoroughly covered with the spray material. A film is all that is 
needed. What runs off is wasted. The manner of applying the 
material will determine most often the success or failure of the 
enterprise. A potato grower can get good results with an atom- 
izer or knapsack type of outfit if he takes the pains. The trouble 
is that it is neither efficient nor economical. Most growers are 




Fig. 56. — A spraying machine doing effective work. High pressure (200 pounds), 
proper nozzle adjustment, and plenty of material (100 gallons to the acre). 



not willing to carry out and apply by hand one hundred gallons 
of Bordeaux mixture, per acre, per application. The most eco- 
nomical control of the foliage diseases is accomplished by high 
pressure and plenty of material. 

Bordeaux mixture is generally employed to control diseases 
and is easy to make either by the gallon or by the hundred gal- 
lons. All it requires is (a) copper sulphate (blue stone), (6) stone 
lime, caustic lime (lump lime), and (c) water. Place two 50-gallon 



TUBER CROP PROJECTS 



215 



barrels beside the water supply. No location is better than right on 
the bank of a running stream or pond. Weigh 50 pounds of cop- 
per sulphate in a burlap sack and fasten as near to the top of one 
of the barrels as possible. This is accomplished easily by pulling 
the top of the sack over the edge of the barrel and nailing. Then 




^v 



Fig. 57. — Potatoes: Middle lot, unsprayed (same areas in each ease); to the 
left, sprayed (71 bushels per acre) ; to the right, low pressure sprinkling (30 
bushels' increase per acre). 



fill the barrel with water. The above operation should be done a 
few hours at least before the spraying begins, so that the copper 
sulphate may have time to dissolve. Do not put the copper sul- 
phate into the bottom of the barrel and expect it to dissolve. 
Dump 50 pounds of stone lime into the other barrel, and add water, 
slowly at first, sprinkling evenly over the lime, and as the chunks 
begin to dry, add a little more until a vigorous heat begins to 
generate. Then add the water rapidly enough to prevent the 
formation of dust, but slowly enough to keep it the consistency 
of thick mud. Let it cook until when stirred from one side to the 
other it is as smooth as butter and of about the same consistency. 



216 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

Then fill the barrel with water. You now have 50 pounds of 
copper sulphate in 50 gallons of water, and 50 pounds of 
lime in 50 gallons of water. This will make 625 gallons 
of Bordeaux mixture and is enough to spray six acres once. 
The remainder of the operation is also quite simple. Place the 
spray rig most conveniently for filling. Fill about one third full of 
water and add (assuming that the tank holds 100 gallons) 8 gallons 
from the lime barrel. Stir well. Then add more water until the 
tank is about three quarters full, and add 8 gallons, well stirred, 
from the copper sulphate barrel, and fill the rest of the way full 
with water. The tank now contains 100 gallons of Bordeaux mix- 
ture of the standard 4-4-5 formula or 8-8-100, costing 80 cents. 
The whole operation takes about 30 minutes. It makes 
spraying a one-man job. There is no mixing and stirring to get 
the material into the tank, and there is no clogging of nozzles. 
Spraying with Bordeaux controls the foliage diseases known as 
late blight and early blight. The Bordeaux mixture never burns 
the foliage and is a splendid carrier of insecticides, such as Paris 
green, the arsenicals, and nicotine. Many times spraying with 
Bordeaux results in an increased crop even when diseases are not 
present to any extent. 

Rolling of the leaves, a curly appearance, deformation of the 
leaves, or a dwarfed condition of the plant, are evidences of dis- 
eases known as leaf-roll and mosaic. Such diseases are trans- 
mitted from one generation to another by the tubers, and when 
they make their appearance care must be taken in the selection 
of seed tubers. 

The tubers are often disfigured by scab, which may be pre- 
vented by treating the seed potatoes with a formaldehyde solution 
(1 pint to 30 gallons of water) for an hour and a half. 

1. What is the function of foliage in growing a crop of potatoes? 



TUBER CROP PROJECTS 217 

2. When should potatoes be sprayed? 

3. What kind of sprayer would you select ? 

4. How should the spray material be applied ? 

5. What do you recommend for combating diseases of potatoes ? 

Insect enemies ? 

6. How should the spray material be prepared ? 

The potato flea beetle, which is also common on tomato plants, 
retards the growth of potato plants because it feeds on the 
first unfolding leaves, and especially on earlier varieties where 
it causes extensive reductions in the number of tubers. 

The Colorado potato beetle, originally feeding on the Buffalo 
Bur, Solarium rostratum, west of the Missouri River, has spread 
across the country more rapidly than any other pest of late years. 
The beetle passes the winter as an adult under rubbish or in the 
soil. Just about the time early planted potatoes appear, the beetles 
emerge, feed on the tender foliage, and then lay their orange yellow 
eggs on the under side of the leaves. The dark red black-headed 
grubs hatch in four to nine days, and when mature enter the soil 
to pupate. The adults emerge about five or ten days later. After 
feeding for a short time they may go into the ground for a resting 
period, or lay eggs for a second generation. Normally all stages 
may be found throughout the summer. Arsenical poisons are 
effective control measures, especially if applied as soon as the 
grubs hatch. Although a slower poison than other compounds, 
arsenate of lead is being more generally used, because it seldom 
injures the foliage. P'our or five pounds of lead arsenate are 
used to each acre to be sprayed. One hundred gallons of spray 
will be sufficient to cover an acre of potatoes. 



218 



VEGP^TABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



While the potato aphis is generally prevalent, few areas have 
reported outbreaks. In certain regions it causes severe damage, 
sucking the plant juices, and wilting the plant. Leaves when 
attacked curl downward, the blossoms are killed, and the tubers 

dwarfed. The lice are usually 
of a green color, but some indi- 
viduals are pink. Eggs are laid 
on roses or other perennials in 
the fall, but do not hatch until 
the following spring. The stem- 
mothers and their progeny live 
on these plants for one or two 
generations, and then migrate to 
potatoes to breed until the ap- 
proach of winter when sexual 
forms migrate to the rose. Spray- 
ing with Black Leaf 40, J pint to 
50 gallons of Bordeaux mixture, 
or with the same amount of Black 
Leaf 40 and water to which 3 or 4 pounds of dissolved soap have 
been added, may be effective. At least 100 gallons of the mix- 
ture are required to cover an acre, the spray being directed upward 
by angle nozzles, so as to drench the under side of the foliage. 

1. What is the cause of " pimply " potatoes? CL : 316. 

2. Is control practical in large potato fields? CL : 317. 

3. What are some other flea beetles on general crops? CL : 318-337. 

4. What is the life history of the Colorado potato beetle f 

CL : 145-146. 




Fig. 58. — Potato flea-beetle injuries. 



5. Summarize briefly its migration across the United States. 
CL : 142-144. 



TUBER CROP PROJECTS 219 

6. Name several arsenical poisons and describe their use on potatoes. 

CL : 147-148. 

7. When should the spray he applied? CL : 148. 

8. What is another common potato beetle f CL : 149. 

9. What are the host plants of the potato aphis? CL : 151. 

10. What is its life history? CL: 151-152. 

11. Describe the appearance of an injured plant. CL : 152. 

12. How should potato vines be sprayed for aphis, and with what 

material? CL:153. 

13. Nam,e other serious pests of ivhite j^otatoes. CL : 155-167. 

11. Harvesting. — Early potatoes may be dii^ whenever they 
have attained a marketable size, though it may be profitable to 
let them grow to full maturity. This will depend mainly on market 
prices. Late potatoes, unless there is an unusual demand, should 
not be dug until the tops are practically dead or there is danger 
of the tubers freezing in the ground. As long as the tops are 
green, starch will be formed and stored in the tubers, thus improv- 
ing their quality. 

A great variety of tools are used for digging potatoes. If 
nothing else is available, an ordinary mold-board plow may be 
employed, followed by a spike-tooth harrow. The various types 
of special diggers are generally regarded as great labor-savers. 

1. When should early potatoes be dug ? Late potatoes ? 

Fr : 143. Gi : 226-230. 

2. What are some of the best tools for digging potatoes ? 

Fr : 143-146. Gi : 230-232. 



220 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



12. Storing and marketing. — A fairly moist atmosphere and a 
temperature of 33° F. are most favorable for the storage of po- 
tatoes. The tubers are easily injured by frost, and they soon 
shrivel and become inferior in quality when kept in dry, warm 
rooms. Moist cellars and caves furnish the best conditions for 
the storage of this crop. 

The grading of potatoes is becoming more popular, and it may 
be the means of materially increasing the returns per acre. Crates, 
barrels, baskets, and sacks are used in the marketing of this crop. 

1. What are the most favorable conditions for the storage of 

potatoes ? Fr : 147-152. Gi : 236-258. 

2. Do you have suitable storage facilities for this crop ? 

3. How will it pay you best to market your crop ? 



Project XIV. Growing Sweet Potatoes 

The sweet potato belongs to the Morning Glory family. There 
are several other species here of economic importance, wild sweet 
potato vine and the bindweeds as weeds, and moon-flowers and 
morning glory as ornamentals. The family has a wide distribu- 
tion but is most abundant in the tropics. The sweet potato is a 
native of the West Indies and Central America. This accounts 
for the fact that it does best in a warm climate. 

The sweet potato plant is a trailing, twining, perennial plant, i.e., 
lives year after year. The enlarged underground parts are some- 
times called *' tubers " or " root tubers " but they are in reality 
roots and not genuine tubers as in the Irish potato. The leaves 
are arranged alternately on the stems and are heart-shaped in gen- 
eral outline. The flowers are large, funnel-form in shape, and purple 
in color. There are several types or varieties of sweet potatoes. 
The varieties differ somewhat in the shape and size of the roots 



TUBER CROP PROJECTS 221 

or potatoes and also in the outline of the leaves, but the most 
common method of dividing them into groups is on the basis of the 
amount of water and sugar present in the potatoes. The ones 
with a dry, mealy, yellow flesh are usually called sweet potatoes 
and are mostly used in the northern states. In this class belongs 
the Jersey sweet potato, in which the roots are spindle-shaped. 
The so-called yams have a watery flesh, are sweeter, and are soft 
and jelly-like when cooked. These are most used in the southern 
states. They should not be confused with genuine yams, which 
belong to another family, closely related to the lily family. Several 
species of insects, such as tortoise beetles, flea beetles, or the sweet 
potato weevil, occasionally harm this crop, but the injury, except 
from weevil, is usually not extensive. 

1. What are some of the close relatives of the sweet potato ? 

2. What is the nature of the part of the plant called the " potato " ? 

3. How do so-called yams differ from ordinary sweet potatoes ? 

4. What insects affect the sweet potato ? 

Project Outline 



1. 


Why grow sweet potatoes? 


2. 


Selecting location. 


3. 


Choosing varieties. 


4. 


Obtaining seed. 


5. 


Starting plants. 


6. 


Preparing soil. 


7. 


Planting. 


8. 


Cultivating. 


9. 


Harvesting. 



10. Storing and marketing. 



222 VEGETABLE GROWING PUOJECTS 

1. Why grow sweet potatoes ? — In most parts of the North, 
gardeners who are looking for real business opportunities will not 
attempt the culture of sweet potatoes. However, there are sec- 
tions along the Atlantic Coast, especially in New Jersey, as well 
as in the Central West, where the crop is highly profitable, and 
where it deserves serious consideration as a business proposition. 
Students are referred to the literature on the subject, which is excel- 
lent and quite extensive. If soil and climatic conditions are favor- 
able, and sweet potatoes of the highest quality can be grown, the 
crop may offer just as great inducements as any other vegetable. 

1. Will it pay you to grow sweet potatoes? 

2. Are sweet potatoes produced at a profit in your neighborhood f 

3. What is known about the botanical history of the sweet potato? 

W-VG:435. C:421. Fi : 7. W:220. 

4. What is its importance as a food crop in the United States ? 

W-VG:435. C : 421-422. Fi : 14-19. 

2. Selecting location. — The sweet potato plant is very tender 
to cold and demands a high temperature and a long season. For 
these reasons it is mainly a southern crop. The soil must also be 
perfectly drained, warm, loose, and friable. Soils containing a 
high percentage of sand with a fairly retentive subsoil are ideal 
for this crop. There should also be an ample supply of plant 
food. 

1. What are the most suitable climatic conditions for the growing 

of sweet potatoes ? W-VG : 439. L : 254. Fi : 19. 

2. What kinds of soil are best for the growing of sweet potatoes? 

W-VG: 439. L:254. C : 422. Fi:21. 



TUBER CROP PROJECTS 223 

3. Describe the soil and climatic conditions in the United States 
where sweet potatoes are grown most extensively. 
L : 254. Fi : 21-24. 

3. Choosing varieties. — Varieties of sweet potatoes differ 
greatly in tlie shape, color, and quality of the tubers. Some of 
the most important varieties are Big-Stem Jersey, Yellow Jersey, 
Southern Queen, Pumpkin Yam, Georgia Yam, Red Bermuda, 
Florida, Pierson, Black Spanish, and Shanghai. The Big-Stem 
Jersey is the most popular on the northern and eastern markets. 

1. What varieties of sweet potatoes do your neighbors grow ? 

2. What variety do you think you should grow? What are your 

reasons for selecting it? 

3. What are the leading varieties grown in the United States and what 

are their chief characteristics f 
W-VG : 436-439. C:431. Fi : 8-13. 

4. How do sweet potatoes differ in the character of the flesh ? 

4. Obtaining seed. — Tubers of medium size are generally 
preferred for seed. They should be free from disease and handled 
with care to prevent bruising. Growers sometimes make selec- 
tions of seed at harvest time. Two to four bushels of medium size 
seed are required to make enough plants for an acre. When two 
lots of plants are grown from the same seed, a bushel should pro- 
duce 2000 to 2500 plants. 

1. What kind of seed should be chosen for the best results? 

W-VG : 440. 

2. How many bushels of seed are required for an acre? For 

your project ? W-VG : 440. 



224 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

3. What are the objections to the use of very small or very large tubers 

for seed purposes f 

W-VG:440. Fi: 24-31. 

4. How should the seed be kept until time to start the plants? 

W-VG : 448. C : 428. Fi : 80. 

5. Starting plants. — In the extreme South sweet potatoes are 
sometimes cut into pieces which are planted in the open very 
much in the same manner as white potatoes. However, in most 
regions, and especially in the North, the plants are started under 
cover in some kind of forcing device or house. A well-constructed 
hotbed (W : 44) will serve the purpose. Small, inexpensive 
houses, covered with glass or canvas, heated by steam, hot 
water, or manure, are often employed. It is nearly always neces- 
sary to supply a certain amount of bottom heat. Beds are made 
with a few inches of fine, sandy soil. The tubers, either whole 
or cut in halves with the cut surfaces down, are placed on the bed 
so that they do not touch each other, covered with about three 
inches of fine sandy soil, and watered. At the time of bedding the 
temperature of the bed should be about 80° F. and be gradually 
dropped to about 60° F., covering a period of six weeks. Plants 
will start from the tubers. In six weeks they should be well rooted 
and of proper size for setting in the field. The plants started 
in this manner are referred to as "slips," ''draws," and ''sets." 
They may be removed and a second lot of plants grown from the 
same tubers or seed pieces. 

1. Explain how sweet potato plants are started in practically all 
districts. 
W-VG : 441-444. L:255. C : 423. Fi : 24-31. 

6. Preparing the soil. — W:222. While a thoroughly drained 
soil is essential to the culture of sweet potatoes, we should bear in 



TUBER CROP PROJECTS 225 

mind that there must be an abundance of soil moisture at the time 
of transplanting to insure the success of this operation, and all 
prehminary tillage should be managed with this in view. It is 
also exceedingly important to follow a system of cropping that 
will effectively destroy weed seeds. If cultivated crops are grown 
the preceding year, they should have the most thorough tillage 
so that no weeds will go to seed. Crimson clover is a desirable 
manurial crop to plow down for sweet potatoes. 

Commercial fertilizers are universally employed for sweet 
potatoes. It is customary to use some nitrogen, 3 or 4 per cent, 
but an excessive amount should be avoided because it stimulates 
too much vine growth without a corresponding development of 
tubers. The mineral elements are essential and there should be 
no uncertainty about the required amount of both potash and 
phosphoric acid ; 1000 pounds to the acre of a 3-7-10 fertilizer 
should be satisfactory under most conditions. It should be 
applied before planting and mixed very thoroughly with the soil. 
Well-decayed stable manure can be used to advantage, especially 
in thin soils. 

1. What are the best crops to precede sweet potatoes ? 

W-VG : 444. 

2. What preparatory tillage operations are necessary? 

W-VG: 444. Fi:31. 

3. What fertilizer treatment do you recommend for sweet potatoes ? 

W-VG: 444. C : 423. 

4. What lessons do the Experiment Stations teach relative to fertilizing 

sweet potatoes ? W-VG : 445. 

7. Planting. — Sweet potato plants should not be set out 
until they are well rooted, and until the ground is thoroughly 
warm and the danger of frost past. Either before or after a rain 



226 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

is desirable, because of more favorable soil moisture conditions. 
If the ground is quite dry at the time of transplanting, it will be 
an advantage to puddle the roots and to use a little water with 
each plant. The plants are generally set 14 to 18 inches apart 
with 36 to 42 inches between rows. From 8000 to 12,000 plants 
are generally set on an acre of land. 

1. When should sweet potato plants be set in the open ground? 

W-VG : 446. Fi : 33-35. 

2. What are the proper planting distances ? 

W-VG : 446. L : 255. C : 426. 

3. How many plants will you need for your project? 

8. Cultivating. — W : 44. Tillage should begin as soon as 
possible after planting. It is customary to work the soil between 
the rows up to the plants so as to form broad, fiat ridges. Suitable 
cultivators are used until the vines render tillage impossible. 

1. What tools will you need to cultivate the sweet potatoes ? 
Fi : 36-42. 

9. Harvesting. — Though sweet potatoes are palatable before 
they have attained full size, the general practice is not to dig them 
until they have reached maturity. It is desirable to harvest 
them before frost has injured the vines, and when the ground is 
dry and there is bright sunny weather. The tubers should be 
allowed to dry in the field for a few hours and then be taken to 
either temporary or permanent storage. 

1. What is the proper time and what are the best conditions for the 

harvesting of sweet potatoes ? 
W-VG: 448. L : 257. C : 428. Fi : 42. 

2. What implements are used for this purpose ? 

W-VG: 447. L:257. C:428. 



1 



TUBER CROP PROJECTS 227 

10. Storing and marketing. — A fairly high temperature and a 
dry atmosphere are necessary for the successful storage of sweet 
potatoes. In the large commercial storage houses a tempera- 
ture of about 85° F. is maintained while the crop is being stored 
and for about ten days afterward and then the temperature is 
dropped to about 55° F. 

Sweet potatoes are sold in a great variety of packages, including 
barrels, baskets, and hampers of various descriptions. 

1. What are the requisites for the successful storage of sweet 

potatoes ? 
W-VG:448. L:257. 0:428. Fi : 46. 

2. What is the best method of grading and packing your crop for 

market? C:430. 



CHAPTER EIGHT 
BULB CROP PROJECTS 

Onion, Give, Leek, Garlic, Shallot 

The group of bulb crops comprises onion, leek, cive, garlic, and 
shallot. They not only belong to the same family but are in 
fact different species of the same genus or group. All of these 
plants form bulbs similar in general structure to the onion bulb. 
Gives (spelled also chives) and shallot have cylindrical hollow 
leaves. In cives or chives the bulbs are very small and the plants 
grow in dense clumps. In shallot the bulbs are of fair size and the 
plants do not form clumps. Leek and garlic have flat solid leaves. 
In garlic the bulbs are made up of several secondary bulbs or 
bulbils inclosed in a white skin. Both the bulbils, often referred 
to as cloves, and the leaves are used for seasoning. The leaves 
of garlic are very narrow. The leaves of leek are broad and the 
bulbs small. Of this group the onion is by far the most important. 
All of these vegetables are hardy and may be grown successfully 
in any fertile, well-drained soil, though sandy loams are preferred. 
They thrive best in soils abounding in vegetable matter. 

Project XV. Growing Onions 

The onion belongs to the lily family. This family does not 
include many crop plants ; the only other of great importance 
aside from the onion is asparagus. Numerous cultivated orna- 
mentals belong here, such as lilies, tulips, hyacinths, and Spanish 
bayonets. Wild garlic, which is one of the worst weeds/is a close 

relative of the onion. 

228 



BULB CROP PROJECTS 229 

Onions have been cultivated since the earliest history of E<^ypt, 
India, and China. It is believed that the common onion does 
not now grow except under cultivation. Five hundred years ago 
the onion was common in Europe. The early colonists brought 
it to America. 

The portion of the onion plant which is usually known as the 
onion is a bulb. Bulbs are underground structures consisting 
of short, usually conical stems, with many fleshy overlapping 
leaf-bases. Bulbs are food-storage organs. The food is stored 
in the thickened bases of the leaves, and these constitute the 
portion which we eat. The roots are fibrous, growing from the 
basal stem. The upper parts of the leaves are thick, fleshy, and 
hollow. The older leaves are on the outside. From the little 
conical stem at the base of the bulb is sent up a long, leafless stem, 
often hollow, which bears the flowers in a compact group at the top. 
In the common onion, this stem, or scape as it is called, is two or 
three feet high, smooth, and enlarged near the middle. Bulblets 
(small bulbs) are sometimes produced along with the flowers at 
the top of the scape. These forms are known as '' top or tree '* 
onions. These bulblets may be used for propagation. Some forms 
have compound bulbs which will separate into numerous bulbs, thus 
furnishing another method of propagation. These are known as 
''multipliers." Other forms are propagated by true seeds and by 
'' sets," which are small bulbs grown from seed and checked in 
their development. The seeds are black, flattish on one side, 
convex on the other. In addition to the manner of propagation, 
onions differ greatly in shape, color, and size of bulbs, quality, and 
time of maturing. There also are marked differences between the 
so-called foreign types, such as Bermuda, Spanish, and Italian 
onions, and the American types. 

1. How long have onions been cultivated? 

2. What is a bulb ? A bulblet ? 



230 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

3. Where and when are flowers produced ? 

4. What are the three types of onion based on methods of propaga- 

tion ? 

5. What is an onion *' set " ? 

6. What is meant by foreign and domestic types of onions ? 

Project Outline 

1 . Why grow onions ? 

2. Selecting location. 

3. Choosing varieties. 

4. Obtaining seed and sets. 

5. Starting plants under glass. 

6. Preparing soil. 

7. Planting sets. 

8. Sowing in the field. 

9. Transplanting hotbed-grown plants. 

10. Cultivating. 

11. Weeding. 

12. Thinning. 

13. Irrigating. 

14. Combating insects and diseases. 

15. Marketing bunch onions. 

16. Harvesting mature bulbs. 

17. Storing. 

18. Marketing. 

1. Why grow onions ? — The onion is one of the most important 
of the vegetables grown for American markets. Millions of 
bushels are grown annually in great commercial plantations, 
under the most favorable conditions, and it is a favorite crop 
among thousands of market gardeners. At least fair success 



BULB CROP PROJECTS 231 

in its culture may be obtained in almost any properly treated soil 
and it offers rather unusual possibilities for profit in the best 
garden loams. The crop appeals especially to the grower who 
is greatly limited in the area available for gardening, because of 
its adaptability to the most intensive systems of cultivation. 
When good markets are near at hand, handsome profits may be 
made on very small plots. 

1. Will it pay you to grow onions? If so, what reasons can you 

give for selecting this crop ? C : 308. 

2. Of what importance is the onion as a food crop in the United 

States f In other countries ? W-VG : 380. L : 162. 

3. To what extent are onions imported to the United States f 

W-VG : 380. 



2. Selecting location. — W : 228. As previously stated, onions 
may be grown successfully in any good, well-drained soil. How- 
ever, this crop should be planted, if possible, in soils abounding 
in vegetable matter and in available plant food. If the largest 
bulbs are to be grown, soil conditions must be as perfect as possible. 
The largest areas of onions are on muck soils, which indicates at 
once the importance of humus for this crop. Sandy loams are 
also largely employed for the growing of onions. Good results 
are obtained in all types of loose, friable soils, and if their structure 
is not naturally favorable for this plant, especially liberal addi- 
tions of rotten manure will be necessary. 

The onion is a '' cool " crop and it thrives in all northern climates, 
as well as in the South when advantage is taken of the cooler 
months. 

It is an advantage in drilling seed and in all tillage operations 
to use soil that is at least fairly level. 



232 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



1. What are the most favorable soil conditions for the growing of 

onions? W-VG:384. L : 163. 0:310. 

2. What types of soil should be chosen, if possible, for the growing 

of onions? W-VG : 384. L : 163. C : 310. 




Fig. 59. — A basket of onions suitable for exhibition purposes. Different color 
bulbs should not be displayed together. 

3. What climatic conditions does the onion prefer? 

W-VG: 383. L: 162. 

4. Where is this crop most largely grown for commercial purposes? 

C : 310. 

5. What can be said in favor of muck soils for the grotving of onions ? 

W-VG : 384. C : 310. 



3. Choosing varieties. — There are so many different varieties 
of onions that the amateur grower may have difficulty in deciding 



BULB CROP PROJECTS 233 

which ones to plant. Some general decisions must be reached 
first. Does the market for which the onions are to be grown 
want yellow, red, or white bulbs? American varieties or the 
milder European type ? Bunch onions or mature bulbs ? Early 
mature bulbs or late ones ? 

If the plants are to be started under glass (W : 234) , the Prize- 
taker should have first place. It is a very large, mild, yellow 
bulb, unusually well adapted to the " new onion culture " method, 
which consists in starting the plants under glass and transplant- 
ing later to the open ground. 

Southport Yellow Globe and Danvers are the leading yellow 
sorts for sowing in the field, Weathersfield is the leading red 
variety, and Silver Skin the most popular white sort for field 
sowing. Sets of all these varieties may be grown or purchased. 
Silver Skin sets are planted more extensively than any other 
white variety. 

1. What varieties do you think will pay you best to grow ? What 

are your reasons ? W-VG : 381. L : 172. 

2. Name and describe the leading varieties. 

W-VG : 381. C : 308-309. Catalogues. 

3. How may onions be classified ? 

W-VG : 381-383. C : 308-309. 

4. What varieties are imported to the United States and from what 

countries? L:172. 

5. What varieties' should be planted in the fall f Why? 

W-VG : 383. C : 308-309. 

6. What varieties should he planted for early maturity ? 

W-VG : 382. L : 172. 

7. What is known about the history of the onion? 

W-VG : 380. C : 308. 



234 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

4. Obtaining seed and sets. — There is a great difference in 
onion seed and sets, and too much care cannot be exercised 
in trying to obtain the best quality. Buy from the most reHable 
dealers. Seed more than a year old will not produce a good stand 
of plants. Sets should be of size desired, uniform and solid. Both 
sets and seed may be grown at home if desired. 

1. Where can you obtain high-grade seed and sets ? Consult local 

growers. Seed catalogues. 

2. What should be the maximum age of seed? 

W-VG : 385. C : 312. 

5. Starting plants under glass. — W : 44-45. Prizetaker seed 
is often sown in hotbeds and greenhouses. The growing of the 
plants under glass is a simple matter, though the plants are more 
susceptible to damping-off fungi than most other vegetables 
(W:74). This trouble may be controlled to a large extent by 
steam sterilization of the soil. 

The transplanting method has several advantages, such as the 
production of larger bulbs, earlier onions, and a very great in- 
crease in the yield. The system appeals strongly to many growers 
who strive for the maximum yields to the acre. 

Beds or flats may be used for starting the plants. Any rich, 
loose garden soil will be satisfactory for this purpose. The seed 
should be sown in drills half an inch deep and three inches apart. 
Most growers prefer to sow the seed at least ten weeks in advance 
of the date of transplanting in the field, which should be after the 
hardest frosts are past. Ten to twelve seeds to the inch should give 
a good stand of plants, and this should produce 8000 to 9000 
plants per 3X6 foot sash. A temperature suitable for other 
plants that may be in the hotbed will meet the requirements of the 
onions. After the plants reach the height of about five inches they 
are cut back weekly to four inches to make them more stocky. 



BULB CROP PROJECTS 235 

1. What is meant by the " new onion culture " ? 

W-VG : 390. L : 172. C : 313. 

2. What varieties may be sown to advantage under glass ? 

W-VG : 390. L : 173. 

3. What are the advantages in starting onions under glass ? 

W-VG: 390. L:173. C : 313. 

4. Describe the details of growing the plants. 

W-VG: 391. C:314. 

5. How much seed will you need? 

6. How many sash, mats, and flats will you require ? 

7. What are the disadvantages of this system ? 



6. Preparing soil. — W : 231 . Since the onion does best in cool, 
moist soils, it is generally desirable to plow or spade the land late 
in the fall of the year so that there will be no unnecessary delay 
in starting the crop the following spring. Plow under a liberal 
amount of manure in the fall. If fall plowing is not feasible, this 
operation should have the earliest attention in the spring. 

The presence of weeds in large numbers is a trouble which must 
be guarded against in every possible way. Not a weed should be 
allowed to ripen seed the preceding year on the plot which is to 
be used for onions. This will require the most thorough tillage. 
Nor should we lose sight of the fact that the soil should be very 
fine and moist when the time arrives for planting, which may re- 
quire the repeated use of the harrow, plank drag, or other soil 
pulverizing and moisture conserving tools. 

The onion requires the highest fertility. Large bulbs cannot 
be grown without an abundance of available plant food and humus 



236 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

in the soil. The certainty of a large return justifies the most com- 
plete fertilizer treatment. It is not uncommon to apply a ton or 
more of high-grade fertilizer to the acre. There should be no 
shortage of any of the elements of plant food. Nitrogen is con- 
sidered especially important. Any of the nitrogenous fertilizers 
may be employed to advantage. Nitrate of soda, in amounts of 
200 or more pounds to the acre, is the most popular source of 
nitrogen for this crop. Part of the nitrate should be applied before 
planting and top dressings of 100 pounds to the acre may be made 
early in the growth of the crop. 

If a ton of fertilizer is used to the acre, about 700 or 800 pounds 
of this amount should be acid phosphate. Potash is also regarded 
as highly important, though not to the same extent as it was re- 
garded before the war. A good mixture may be made by using 
300 pounds nitrate of soda, 500 pounds dried blood or tankage, 800 
pounds acid phosphate, and 400 pounds muriate of potash. 

Well-decayed stable manure is largely employed for onions. 
If very fine, it may be applied after plowing and thoroughly mixed 
with the soil by harrowing. Poultry manure is also excellent, 
and should be applied after the land has been plowed. 

1. How will you proceed to have the soil well supplied with mois- 

ture at the time of planting? W : 231. C : 311. 

2. What can be done to reduce the weed nuisance ? 

3. What are the fertilizer requirements of the onion ? 

W-VG:387. C:311. 

4. How do nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium function in the 

growing of onions ? 

5. What may be said about the value of stable manure and poultry 

manure for this crop ? W-VG : 387. L : 164. C : 31 1. 



BULB CROP PROJECTS 



237 



6. Give specific directions for the fertilizing of your onion ground. 

Estimate your needs. 
L: 163-164. C:311. W-VG : 387-389. 

7. What kind and how much fertilizer is used for onions in the leading 

districts of the United States? 

8. Suggest various combinations of fertilizer materials, specifying the 

amounts required of each. 




I'iG. 60. — Onion sets of various types and sizes. 



7. Planting sets. — Sets are used in large quantities for the 
growing of bunching onions. They are also generally employed 
by home gardeners for the production of mature bulbs, and to a 
considerable extent by commercial growers for an early crop of 
bulbs. Better results are obtained from sets than from seed in 
soils which are not very well adapted to the culture of onions. 

It is customary to plant sets two or three inches apart (or closer if 



238 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

wanted for bunching onions) in rows a foot apart. The rows 
should be perfectly straight, a condition which may be secured by 
the use of a line. The sets should barely be covered, unless the 
soil is very light, in which case they may be planted somewhat 
deeper. From 20 to 25 bushels of sets are required to the acre 
and more if sets are large. They should be planted just as early 
in the spring as the ground can be prepared. 

1. When is it an advantage to use sets instead of seed ? 

W-VG : 392. L : 174-175. 

2. How early in the spring should sets be planted ? W-VG : 394. 

3. What are the proper planting distances for sets ? 

W-VG: 394. L:176. 

4. How many bushels are required to the acre ? W-VG : 394. 

5. Are sets ever planted in the fall? If so, what kind and what 

method is followed ? W-VG : 393. 

8. Sowing in the field. — In the great onion-growing districts 
practically all the bulbs are grown from seed sown in the open 
ground. Good results may be expected in muck soils and in sandy 
loams or wherever conditions are favorable for growing this crop. 
The yellow American varieties are most largely employed for 
field seeding. It is customary to start the seed drills as early in 
the spring as the ground can be prepared. The rows are generally 
twelve to fourteen inches apart and it is customary to use about 
four and one-half pounds of seed to the acre. There should be 
eight to twelve plants per foot of row. If too much seed is 
used, it will be necessary to thin the plants. This is always 
a slow, tedious operation, so that it is important to know the 
viability of the seed and not sow more than is necessary. 



BULB CUOP PROJECTS 



239 



Covering should not exceed one-half inch of soil on loam lands, 
while an inch may not be too much in light, sandy soils. 

1. When is it desirable to use seed for the growing of mature 

bulbs ? For the growing of bunching onions ? 
W-VG : 389. L : 174. 

2. When should the seed be sown? W-VG : 390. L : 164. 

3. How far apart should the rows be spaced ? 

W-VG: 390. L : 165. C : 313. 

4. How much seed is required to the acre ? W-VG : 390. 

5. What varieties are most popular for field seeding ? W-VG : 389. 

6. How much seed will you need for your onion project? 



9. Transplanting hotbed-grown plants, 
hotbed-grown plants 
may be injured by 
severe frosts, they 
should not be set in 
the open ground too 
early, May 1 to 10 
being as early as is 
desirable in most 
parts of the North. 
Planting should be 
postponed a little 
longer if plants are 
under size. 

Small dibbers may 
be used for making 
holes for the plants 
or they may be set 



Inasmuch as the 




Fig. 61. — Onion seedlings; a shallow-rooted crop. 



240 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

in shallow furrows. If large bulbs are desired, they should be 
spaced at least three inches apart in the row. 

It is especially important to have the very best soil conditions 
for the growing of Prizetakers by the '' new onion culture " method, 
and no more ground should be planted than can be properly en- 
riched and cared for. 

1. When should Prizetakers be set in the field ? 

W-VG:392. L:174. 

2. Explain the details of transplanting. 

W-VG:394. L:174. C : 314-315. 

Students will find reference (Gr) exceedingly valuable in the 
growing of onions by the transplanting method. 

10. Cultivating. — W : 235. Cultivators must be used at close 
intervals if the soil is to be kept in proper condition. If the weeds 
make very much of a start, it is tedious and expensive to get rid 
of them, so that the economic policy is to use the wheel hoes fre- 
quently, not only to keep down the weeds but for the conservation 
of soil moisture and for other reasons discussed in the Tomato- 
Growing Project. ( W : 37.) We should not lose sight of the fact 
that the onion is a shallow rooted crop and that tillage should not 
at any time disturb the development of the roots. The horizontal 
blades or sweeps of the wheel hoe are excellent for destroying weeds 
and should be used when there is danger of their interfering with 
the root growth. Both single-wheel hoes and double-wheel hoes 
are used in cultivating onions and sometimes the rows are far 
enough apart to permit the use of horse cultivators. 

1. How frequently should onions be cultivated ? 

W-VG:394. L:165. C:315. 

2. What tools may be employed? W-VG : 394. L : 165. 



BULB CROP PROJECTS 241 

3. What should be the character of the cultivation ? 
W-VG : 394. C : 315. 

11. Weeding. — W : 307. Though the most perfect cultivation 
may be given onions, some hand weeding is nearly always required 
to destroy weeds in the rows. Various types of small hand weeders 
are in common use. It is important to keep the plantations 
entirely free from weeds. 

1. What hand tools will you select to weed your onions? Give 
reasons for selecting them. W-VG : 394. L : 166. 

12. Thinning. — W : 308. It is customary to remove some of 
the plants at the time of weeding, if they are too close together. 
As stated in W : 238, most growers want from eight to twelve plants 
to the foot of row. If the soil is very fertile and large bulbs are 
wanted, a minimum number of plants should be left. 

1. What will be your policy in the number of plants left per foot of 
row? 

13. Irrigating. — W : 235. The onion responds to the most 
perfect cultural conditions. Some growers are so anxious that 
there be no unfavorable conditions at any period of growth that 
they install overhead irrigating or sprinkling devices so that 
artificial rain may be produced at will. There are times when a 
thorough watering is urgently important, and fortunate is the 
grower who is prepared to supply all the water that the crop may 
need and at the time it is needed. 

1. Would it pay you to install an irrigating system for this and other 
crops that you intend to grow? 

14. Combating insects and diseases. — W-VG : 405. Owing 
largely to cultural methods, onion insects are difficult to handle. 



242 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

Close planting of rows prevents the use of horse-drawn implements 
so that growers are apt to bear with insect depredations rather 
than resort to the use of hand outfits. Some extensive truckers 
are now planting onions with skip rows, so that when spraying 
operations are necessary traction machines can be used without 
injury to the plants. 

It is not uncommon for the leaves of onions to turn white in 
midseason and wilt. This is due to a small, white, soft-bodied, 
insect (onion thrips), the larva of a minute fly, which punctures 
the leaf with its needle-like mouth parts and destroys the cells 
while sucking the plant juices. The adult thrips pass the winter 
in old onion tops or in rubbish. In the spring the *' flies " go to 
new onion plantings where they deposit eggs in the leaf. Adults, 
eggs, and larvse may be found on the plants during the summer 
or until reproduction is stopped in the autumn. Contact sprays 
applied before the leaves are badly affected will control the insect. 
Black Leaf 40, one pint in 100 gallons of water to which is ap- 
plied 4 or 5 pounds of dissolved soap, is effective when applied 
with force and in large quantities. 

Onion bulbs are sometimes dwarfed or the plants destroyed 
soon after growth has commenced by a whitish maggot which 
bores into the underground stem. Entire fields are often destroyed 
by this pest. The insects pass the winter usually as puparia 
from which adults emerge in the spring. Eggs are laid in the 
leaf sheath or on the ground, and upon hatching the maggots 
work into the young bulbs. In two or three weeks the maggots 
mature, change into pupae in hardened, brownish puparia. 
Several broods of the insect occur each year. Until recently 
no satisfactory control was known. Sweetened poison bait has 
proved the most satisfactory remedy. 

Smut is a disease of onions which sometimes causes serious 
losses. The fungus causing the disease lives through the winter 
in the soil and attacks young seedlings. Onions grown from sets 



BULB CROP PROJECTS 243 

are never diseased. Smut may be recognized by dark spots on 
the leaves. Later these spots break open exposing black sooty 
masses of spores. In truck gardening regions it is often necessary 
to disinfect the soil at planting time by applying a formaldehyde 
solution. This is done by a drip attachment on the seed drill. 

Downy mildew, a disease which has many of the characteristics 
of the late blight of potatoes, is sometimes a destructive disease. 
Its first effects are noticeable by the peculiar withering of the 
tips of leaves. The affected plants soon wilt and the trouble 
spreads to other plants. Spraying with Bordeaux is the best 
method of control. 

Black spot may develop on the outer scales and become con- 
spicuous especially during storage. The chief injury is to ap- 
pearance. Neck rot often causes severe losses in storage. Thorough 
drying before storage is important in controlling these troubles. 

1. Describe the injury done by thrips to onions. CL : 245, 248. 

2. Is soil a factor in the attacks of thrips ? CL : 245, 247. 

3. What is the life history of the onion thrips f CL : 245, 247. 

4. What are some contact sprays, and which is the most efficient 

against onion thrips f CL : 248-249. 

5. What is the life history and appearance of the onion maggot f 

CL : 243-244. 

6. What are the puparia? CL : 244. 

7. What is the formula for poison bait ? CL : 245. 

8. How may onion smut he recognized? SH: 201-203. 

9. In severe cases what measures are necessary to control onion smut f 



244 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

10. How can downy mildew of onions he controlled ? SH : 203-205. 

1 1 . What precaution assists in preventing black spot and neck rot f 

15. Marketing bunching onions. — Before pulling any of the 
bunching onions it is important to visit the markets to be supplied 
and learn what is the usual method of marketing. First, note 
the number of onions in each bunch and also the size of the onions ; 
second, whether they are clean and neatly bunched ; third, the 
kind of tying material used. Then study how you can improve 
on the methods you have observed. It is especially important 
to see that the bunches are neat and clean, and tied with strings 
or tape that enhance rather than mar the appearance of the 
bunches. 

1. What methods are employed in your neighborhood in the 

marketing of bunching onions ? W-VG : 404. 

2. What methods will you employ? 

16. Harvesting mature bulbs. — Sometimes the market is so 
good for onions that we are justified in harvesting them before 
they are fully mature. Ordinarily, the bulbs should not be har- 
vested until they are fully ripe, as indicated by the dead and 
shriveled tops. Dry, sunny weather is most favorable for this 
operation. Several rows of onions are pulled and thrown together 
into a windrow. They are left undisturbed for a few days and 
then stirred occasionally with a wooden rake to facilitate drying. 
The tops should be removed with shears or knife, leaving about 
an inch of the neck. If ample space is available in a shed or loft, 
so that the bulbs can be spread in layers only a few inches deep, 
they need not dry so long in the field. 

1. What is the proper time to harvest mature onions? 
W-VG: 396. L:168. C : 316. 



BULB CROP PROJECTS 245 

2. How should the bulbs be removed from the soil ? Are tools or 

machines ever used for this purpose ? 
W-VG:396. L: 169-171. C : 316. 

3. What is done with the bulbs after they are pulled ? 

W-VG:397. L:170. 0:316. 

4. What is considered a satisfactory yield to the acre f W-VG : 400. 

5. To what extent is the yield reduced if the rows are far enough 

apart to ivork with a horse f 

17. Storing. — Onions should not be placed in permanent 
storage until thoroughly dry. The requirements of successful 
storage are thorough ventilation, a dry atmosphere, and the 
impossibility of alternate freezing and thawing. In the great 
commercial storage houses, an effort is made to maintain the tem- 
perature as low as possible without actual freezing. This, of 
course, cannot be done in most farm buildings, so that the main 
thing to guard against is alternate freezing and thawing that 
invariably destroys the bulbs. If there is a location where the 
bulbs can be frozen and then covered with hay to hold the frost 
until they are wanted for sale, the results w^ill be satisfactory. 
Thick-necked specimens should be marketed early in the fall. 

1. What are the essentials for the successful storage of onions? 

W-VG : 397-400. L : 171. C : 317-318. 

2. What method do you intend to use ? 

3. What do you know about the construction and management of the 

large commercial storage houses? 
W-VG: 398. L:171. 0:318. 



246 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

4. JVhat arc the relative incrits and cost of bags, crates, and bins for 

the storage of onions f 

5. What is the shrinkage of oriions in storage? 

18. Marketing mature bulbs. — W : 244. Onions should be 
carefully graded into at least three sizes before they are marketed, 
though this is not generally practiced. Grading nearly always 
increases the net returns from the crop. They are sold in a great 
variety of packages and here is an opportunity to exercise good 
judgment as well as originality. Clean, white, attractive pack- 
ages of medium size may be a great advantage in the disposition 
of the crop. The dead stems and loose leaves should be carefully 
removed. It is especially important to market very large superior 
bulbs, of the foreign types, in the most attractive manner. 

1. When will it pay you best to sell your crop ? 

2. How will you prepare the bulbs for market ? W-VG : 400. 

3. What packages will you use ? W-VG : 400. 

4. What does it cost to grow and market an acre of onions f 

W-VG: 401. 

5. What profits should be realized to the acre? W-VG : 401. 



CHAPTER NINE 
PULSE CROP PROJECTS 

Bean, Pea 

The bean and pea are closely related botanically, though they 
differ very greatly in cultural requirements. The bean is tender 
to frost while the pea stands very hard frosts or even severe freez- 
ing under certain conditions. Some types of beans, as the lima, 
must have a long, warm season, while the pea is a cool, short- 
season crop. 

Project XVI. Growing Beans 

Beans belong to What is known as the pea or pulse family. 
"Legume" is also a popular name for members of this family. 
The importance of this family agriculturally is probably greater 
than any other except the grass family. Here belong, in addition 
to beans and peas, clover, alfalfa, vetch, cowpea, soybean, and 
peanut. About 10,000 species belong to this family, of which 
about two fifths are American, distributed both in temperate 
and tropical regions. The common or kidney bean is believed 
to be a native of tropical America. 

The genus to which the kidney bean belongs includes also the 
lima bean and the scarlet runner bean. The broad bean, soy- 
bean, and a number of other beans do not belong to this genus. 

The beans are seeds and are produced in fruits commonly called 
pods. There are both green-podded and wax-podded varieties. 
The pods are made up of two valves which separate along both 
lines or edges at maturity. Stringiness of the pods of string or 
snap beans is due to tough fibers which develop along the unions 

247 



248 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

of the valves. The plants are commonly divided into two classes, 
pole and bush ; the former a climbing and the latter a dwarf type 
of the same species. The leaves are compound, with three leaflets, 
and the flowers are of a true legume type with a standard, two 
lateral wings, and a keel. In the common bean the keel is coiled. 

1. What can be said of the importance of the pulse family? 

2. What is another popular name for members of this family ? 

3. Is this a large family and is it well represented in America? 

4. What part of the plant are the beans ? 

5. What is meant by the terms pole and bush ? 

Project Outline 

1 . Why grow beans ? 

2. Selecting location. 

3. Classifying and selecting varieties. 

4. Obtaining seed. 

5. Preparing soil. 

6. Planting field beans. 

7. Planting dwarf, snap, and green shell beans. 

8. Planting pole beans. 

9. Planting lima beans. 

10. Cultivating. 

11. Combating insects and diseases. 

12. Harvesting and marketing. 

1. Why grow beans ? — The growing of beans is often very 
attractive as a business proposition. There are practically no 
sections where some of the varieties cannot be grown. Glass 



PULSE CROP PROJECTS 249 

is not required to start the plants, though it is sometimes an advan- 
tage. The culture of beans is comparatively simple and the crop 
is especially desirable for those who have had no practical gardening 
experience. Before undertaking the culture of beans on a large 
scale, we should be reasonably certain of a satisfactory market. 

1. Is your market well supplied with beans ? 

2. Will it pay you to grow beans ? 

2. Selecting location. — W : 247. As previously stated the 
bean is tender to frost and there will be a distinct advantage for 
the early plantings in selecting areas with good air drainage. Loss 
from frost, however, can generally be avoided by planting late 
enough to escape such a disaster. 

Beans are grown successfully in all soil types, though sandy 
loams provide the best conditions. Cold, heavy soils should be 
avoided, and under no circumstances should beans be planted in 
poorly drained soil. 

1. Where are beans grown most successfully in your neighbor- 

hood? 

2. What kind of soil is best for beans ? 

W-VG : 233. C : 128. S-B : 13. 

3. Do you have a suitable soil for beans? 

4. What is the nature of the soil in the South where beans are grown 

so largely for northern markets? 

5. What is the nature of the soil in other bean-growing districts of the 

United States? 

3. Classifying and selecting varieties. — Beans may be divided 
into two general classes, namely, field beans and garden beans, 
and the garden class may be subdivided as follows : 



250 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



Garden 
Beans 



Bush 



Pole 



f Kidney 
Lima 



J Wax 

I Green-Pod 



■K'<^°'^y I Green-Pod 
Lima 

, Runner (Scarlet Runner) 



By the term snap bean is meant beans which may be eaten with 
the pod and they may be either bush or pole in habit of growth. 
This class of beans is also often called " string " beans, though a 
good string bean is stringless. Green shell beans are those which 
are shelled and used before they are fully ripe, in distinction from 
dry shell beans, which are allowed to ripen and dry before they are 
cooked. 

There are many good varieties of beans. The following are 
some of the leading varieties : 

Dwarf Wax-Podded: Burpee's Kidney, Wardwell Kidney, Im- 
proved Golden Wax, Brittle Wax. 

Divarf Green-Podded: Burpee's Stringless, Red Valentine, 
Refugee, Bountiful. 

Green Shell: Goddard, Dwarf Horticultural. 

Dry Shell or Field: Navy, Marrowfat, Red Kidney. 

Wax-Podded Pole: Golden Carmine, Golden Cluster. 

Green- Podded Pole: Creaseback, Kentucky Wonder, Lazy Wife. 

Pole Lima: Leviathan, King of the Garden, Dreer's Improved. 

Bush Lima: Henderson, Fordhook. 

1. What varieties of beans will you plant and why have you 
selected them ? 

W-VG : 230-232. S-B : 117. 



2. How may beans he classified? 
W-VG : 226-230. L:205. 



C : 123-125. S-B : 3. 



PULSE CROP PROJECTS 251 

3. What is known about the history of beans ? W-VG : 226. S-B : 1. 

4. What varieties are grown mainly in the South for shipping to 

northern markets f W-VG : 230. S-B : 124-125. 

5. What varieties are grown in your neighborhood f 

6. What varieties are grown in the greatest commercial districts of 

the United States? S-B : 117-125. 

4. Obtaining seed. — It is a simple matter to save seed from 
choice plants. Thousands of American home gardeners and some 
commercial growers follow this practice. Most of the seed, how- 
ever, is bought from dealers who have their stocks grown by con- 
tract in districts which are unusually favorable for the growing 
and curing of seed. 

1. Do you know how to select your own seed? Will it pay you 

to do so? S-B: 43-49. 

2. How much seed will you need for your project? 

3. Where are most of the seed beans produced and under what soil and 

climatic conditions f 

6. Preparing the soil. — The soil should be well prepared for 
l^eans. They may be grown in rotation with other garden crops. 
\Vhen a heavy clover sod is available, it is ideal for beans, if 
plowed down in the fall, or at least several weeks in advance 
of bean planting. 

It is not customary to make heavy applications of fertilizers 
for beans. About 500 pounds to the acre of a mixture high in 
phosphorus should give good results. 

1. What preliminary crop do you recommend for beans? 
W-VG : 234. 



252 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 




PULSE CROP PROJECTS 



253 



2. What soil tillage preparations do you think should be made? 

S-B : 71. 

3. How will you fertilize your beans ? 

W-VG : 235. C : 139. S-B : 15-20. 



4. What is the function and importance of nitrogen, phosphorus, and 

potassium in the growing of beans f S-B : 15-20. 

5. When should the 

fertilizer be 
applied f 



6. How are beans 
fertilized in 
the important 
bean-growing 
sections f 

6. Planting field 
beans. — Field beans 
should not be planted 
too early because they 
may rot in the ground, 
3r frost may kill the 
plants, and earhness 
is not particularly 
important. Rust is 
also more likely to 
develop on early plant- 
ings and cold, wet 
weather may retard 
and stunt the plants. 
The most common 
spacing between rows 
is twenty-eight inches 




Fig. 63. — Distributing seed from an envelope. 



254 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



and the beans should be dropped from two to four inches 
apart. They are sometimes planted in hills ten to twelve inches 

apart and this is an 
advantage in get- 
ting a good stand of 
plants. The depth of 
covering in heavy 
soil should be about 
one inch and a 
trifle more in light 
soils. In well-pre- 
pared moist soil, shal- 
low planting is very 
desirable. 



1. What is the proper 

time for planting 
field beans in your 
neighborhood? 
W-VG : 236. C : 
129. S-B: 71-73. 

2. What planting dis- 

tances do you 
recommend and 
what is the proper 
depth to plant ? 
W-VG : 236. C : 
129. 




Fig. 64. — Finning the suil o\'er tlie seed with a hoe. 



3. How are field beans planted in the great producing districts? 
W-VG : 236. S-B : 71-76. 



7. Planting dwarf, snap, and green shell beans. — If the beans 
are to be cultivated with a wheel hoe, it is unnecessary to allow 



PULSE CROP PROJECTS 



255 



more than 16 to 18 inches between rows and about 28 to 30 inches 

for horse cultivation. Depth of seed covering will vary with the 

character of the soil, 

(W:254),though there 

should seldom be more 

than two inches of 

soil over the beans. 

The beans should be 

dropped two to four 

inches apart. Some 

growers prefer to drop 

about four beans in 

hills ten inches 

apart. Then hand 

hoes may be used 

between the hills to 

destroy any weeds 

that may appear in 

the row. 




Fig. 65. — Bean seedlings. These plants contain so 
few roots that it is difficult to transplant them 
successfully. 



1. When should this class of beans be planted? 
take some risk in planting at an early date ? 
W-VG:237. L:206. C : 140. 



Will it pay to 



2. What should be the planting distances, and the depth of plant- 
ing? W-VG:237. L:206. C : 140. 

8. Planting pole beans. — Pole beans are generally planted in 
hills 3X4 or 4X4 feet apart. Sometimes they are planted in 
drills and supported by poultry netting or some other device. 
From four to six beans are planted in a hill and the plants thinned 
to about three plants. 



1. When and how would you plant pole beans? W-VG : 238. 



256 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



9. Planting lima beans. — Lima beans are very tender to cold 
and must not be planted until the ground is warm and there is no 
danger of frost. They are usually planted in hills 4X4 feet apart 
and the bush limas in drills as explained for other types of bush 
beans. W : 254. Sometimes bush limas are started in pots under 
glass about four weeks in advance of field planting, and trans- 
ferred to the field without disturbing the roots. Poultry netting 




Fig. 66. — Companion cropping is necessary for best returns on land of high value. 

and other forms of wire trellis may be employed, if desired, to 
support pole limas. 

1. When and how would you plant lima beans? 
W-VG : 238. L : 208. 

10. Cultivating. — W : 251 . Beans should have just as thorough 
cultivation as is necessary to maintain a mulch of fine soil. This 
is a shallow rooted crop and we must be careful to avoid severe 
root pruning. S-B : 77-80. 

1. What tools will you need to cultivate your beans ? W-VG : 240. 



PULSE CROP PROJECTS 



257 



11. Combating insects and diseases. — Legumes suffer 
damage from sucking insects such as aphids, or caterpillars 
which feed on the vines. Weevils working in seeds in the field, 
or in storage, annually 
cause tremendous losses 
to crops of beans and 
peas. 

The bean weevil is very 
destructive in the warmer 
climates, but does not 
seem to be so harmful in 
the more northern areas. 
The adult, a mottled 
beetle, places its eggs 
within the pod and from 
these young larvae hatch 
and work into the bean, 
and eat out a sizable 
cell in which the grub 
matures. The insect com- 
pletes its transformation in the seed, and then escapes through 
a small round hole in the shell, and deposits eggs for another 
generation of the pests. Several broods may occur, and, if the 
beans are left undisturbed, they are soon reduced to a powdery 
condition. Weevil beans are unfit for seed, for even if only slightly 
injured, the plants which germinate are sickly or the beans may 
carry the weevils to the field in this manner. They may be con- 
trolled by fumigation. 

Anthracnose or pod spot is one of the most serious diseases of 
the bean, often causing enormous losses. The symptoms are 
most noticeable upon the pods, where the disease appears as 
sunken, dark-colored spots. Similar spots may be found upon 
the stems and leaves. Anthracnose is most commonly spread 




Fig. 67. — Bean weevil and injury to stored 
beans. 



258 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

by diseased seeds. Control of this trouble is largely a matter of 
planting clean seed. Clean cultivation and crop rotation are 
also advisable. Vines should not be cultivated when they are 
wet. Lima beans are resistant to this disease. 

Blight is the name given to a common bacterial disease which 
attacks all varieties of both field beans and lima beans. Upon 
the leaves large, brown, watery spots are produced which become 
dry, thin, and papery. The disease soon extends to the pods, 
where similar watery spots are developed. Blight is spread by 
infected seeds, and the methods of control are therefore similar 
to those for anthracnose. 

Rust may be distinguished from the above-mentioned diseases 
by the fact that small blister-like spots are found on the leaves 
and stems. These break open and are full of rusty brown or 
blackish powder, wliich is in reality the spores of the fungus. 
Rust usually develops rather late in the season but is often the 
cause of very severe damage. The use of the resistant varieties 
forms the most effective means of control. 

1. What is the life cycle of the bean weevil f CL : 58-59. 

2. How can the adult be distinguished? CL : 57-58. 

3. Name three other bean weevils. CL : 60-63. 

4. What is the best remedy ? CL : 64. 

5. What caution should be taken in handling carbon bisulphide f 

CL : 63. 

6. What are the symptoms by which anthracnose of beans may be 

recognized f SH : 152. 

7. How may anthracnose be controlled f SH : 154. 



PULSE CROP PROJECTS 259 

8. How is blight distinguished from anthracnose f SH : 155. 

9. What are the characteristics of bean rust f 

12. Harvesting and marketing. — Garden beans must be 
picked by hand and it is important for the work to be done 
when the pods are at the proper stage of development, or they 
may become overripe and their quahty will be sacrificed. This 
statement applies to all varieties of garden beans. Snap beans 
should produce about 200 bushels to the acre. They are mar- 
keted in baskets of various types. 

1. When should garden beans be harvested ? 

2. How do you intend to market your crop ? W-VG : 242. 

3. What kind and how many packages will you need? 

C : 141-145. 

Project XVn. Growing Peas 

Peas are important members of the pea family, as the common 
name of the family suggests. The plants either trail on the 
ground or climb. The leaves are compound with one, two, or 
three pairs of leaflets. The terminal leaflets and often the upper 
lateral ones are modified into tendrils for climbing. Stipules, 
structures at the union of the leaf stalk and the stem, which in many 
plants are small or lacking, are large and leaf-like in the pea plant. 
The flowers are of the legume type. The fruit is a typical pod or 
legume and contains the seeds which are commonly known as 
'' peas." There are two recognized types of peas. Garden peas 
with white flowers and uniformly colored seeds, and field peas 
with colored flowers and seeds speckled with fine spots of various 
colors. The garden peas may be divided into two groups, shelling 
peas and the edible podded or sugar peas. The shelling peas are 



260 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

also divided into two groups, the smooth-seeded and the wrinkled- 
seeded. Each of these groups and the sugar peas occur in tall, 
dwarf, and half-dwarf forms. In general the smooth-seeded 
varieties mature earlier and the wrinkled-seeded later. The 
former are more hardy. Dwarf and half -dwarf forms ripen 
earlier than the tall sorts. 

1. What provision do peas have for climbing ? 

2. What parts of the plant show clearly all family relationship ? 

3. How do garden peas and field peas dififer ? 

4. Which types of shelling peas mature early ? Late ? 

Project Outline 

1 . Why grow peas ? 

2. Selecting location. 

3. Classifying and selecting varieties. 

4. Obtaining seed. 

5. Preparing the soil. 

6. Planting. 

7. Companion cropping. 

8. Cultivating. 

9. Supporting the vines. 

10. Combating insects. 

11. Harvesting and marketing. 

1. Why grow peas ? — The pea is one of the most popular 
vegetables grown in America. The sweet, tender, fresh peas are 
a delicacy on any table, and their culture may be profitable 
wherever markets are available. They give quick cash returns, 
and the early crop is harvested in ample time to follow with beans, 



PULSE CROP PROJECTS 261 

late potatoes, or other vegetables which will mature before the 
end of the growing season. 

1. Do you have a satisfactory market for peas? Do you think 

they will pay you better than some other vegetables which you 
grow ? 

2. Selecting location. — W : 262. The pea thrives in a cool, 
humid climate and in fertile soils with an abundant and constant 
supply of moisture. The North naturally provides the best 
conditions for this crop, though it is grown with excellent success 
in the South when advantage is taken of the cooler months. Peas 
do best in fairly loose, friable soils that contain a good supply 
of humus. All things considered, the sandy loams provide the 
best conditions. 

i. What are the best soil and climatic conditions for the growing 
of peas? W-VG: 410-411. C : 334. 

2. Do you have a suitable location for growing peas ? 

3. What is the character of the soil and climate where peas are grown 

071 a large scale for canning f 

3. Classifying and selecting varieties. — Varieties of peas 
may be classified according to their habit of growth into dwarf, 
half-dwarf, and tall. They may also be classified as smooth, 
wrinkled, and edible-podded or sugar. The smooth varieties 
are hardier than the wrinkled ones and may be planted somewhat 
earlier. The wrinkled varieties are sweeter and better in quality 
than the smooth type, and are especially desirable for a fancy 
trade demanding the highest quality. 

There are many excellent varieties of peas, the following being 
very popular : 

Extra Early Smooth Peas : Alaska and Best Extra Early. 



262 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

Extra Early Wrinkled Peas : Gracilis, Thomas Laxton, Nott's 
Excelsior, Blue Bantam, Little Marvel. 

Medium and Late Peas: Improved Stratagem, Telegraph, 
Telephone, and many other good varieties. 

Edible-Podded : Giant Sugar, Dwarf Gray Sugar, and Mammoth 
Melting Sugar. 

1. What varieties do you intend to plant and why have you selected 

them? W-VG : 409-410. C : 339. Catalogues. 

2. How may peas be classified ? 

W-VG : 409-410. C : 332. S-P:l-4. 

3. What are the chief varieties grown for canneries ? S-P : 45. 

4. Obtaining seed. — It is customary for growers to rely almost 
wholly upon dealers for their supply of seed. 

1. Where can you obtain good seed of the varieties desired ? 

5. Preparing soil. — W:261. As peas thrive best in a cool, 
moist soil, and as they should be planted very early in the spring, 
it is desirable to plow the land in the fall and harrow it just as 
soon as it is dry enough ill the spring. 

Land which has been highly manured for the preceding crop is 
likely to furnish ideal conditions for the growing of peas. Fresh 
stable manures should never be applied immediately before plant- 
ing peas, but well-decayed manures may be used freely and this 
is a great advantage in heavy soils. 

Inasmuch as the pea is a legume and acquires nitrogen from 
the atmosphere, this element is never used in large amounts for 
the growing of peas. It is believed that applications of potassium 
are beneficial and there is no doubt about the necessity of liberal 
amounts of phosphorus. If the soil is in first class condition, it is 



PULSE CROP PROJECTS 263 

likely that about 400 pounds of acid phosphate to the acre would give 
very good results without any applications of nitrogen or potassium. 

1. When and how should the land be prepared for peas? 

C:334. S-P:7-ll. 

2. What kind of crop is best to precede peas ? S-P : 7. 

3. How will you fertilize the land for peas ? W-VG:411. S-P: 9. 

4. How are peas fertilized in the sections where they are grown 

largely for canneries? 

6. Planting. — The first planting of smooth peas should be 
made in the spring as early as the ground can be prepared and 
successive plantings may be made for several weeks, though the 
earliest plantings generally produce the largest crops. It is 
customary to plant the wrinkled kinds somewhat later because 
there is some danger of the seeds rotting in the soil if the weather 
is very cool and wet. 

The rows vary from 18 inches to 4 feet apart, depending on the 
height of variety, method of cultivation, and whether supports 
are used for the vines. Seed should be used freely in order to 
obtain large yields, and this is especially true of the dwarf varieties. 
From one to two pints of seed to 100 feet of drill will give a good 
stand of plants. 

The earlier plantings are not covered with more than an inch 
of soil, unless it is very sandy, while the depth of covering at planting 
should increase as the season advances, so that the roots of the 
plants will be at a depth where the soil is cool and moist. When the 
seeds are covered with three to five inches of soil it is desirable 
to fill the furrow gradually as the plants increase in height. 

1. When should smooth varieties of peas be planted? Wrinkled 
ones ? W-VG : 412. L : 110. C : 335. S-P : 15. 



264 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

2. What should be the space between rows for varieties of dif- 

ferent height V W-VG : 412. C : 335. 

3. What is the proper rate of seeding ? 

4. How deep should peas be planted ? W-VG : 412. 

7. Companion cropping. — It is often possible to grow other 
vegetables with the peas. For example, if the pea row^s are three 
feet apart, there might be two rows of button radishes between 
them and the radishes will be marketed before there w^ill be any 
interference from the pea vines. Numerous other intercropping 
plans containing peas are commonly employed by market 
gardeners. 

1. Do you think it will pay you to grow one or more other crops ivith 
peasf If so, what crops and what plaii would you recommend f 
W-VG : 479, 484. 

8. Cultivating. — W:256, Peas should have practically the 
same cultivation as beans. 

9. Supporting the vines. — No support of any kind is used in 
the great commercial plantations, but home gardeners as well as 
some market gardeners find it profitable to grow the taller varieties 
which require support. Poultry netting is often employed, and 
with good care will last for many years. Brush is often used and 
sometimes twine is stretched between stakes. 

1. Will it pay you to support the vines ? If sc, what kind of sup- 
port will you provide ? 
W-VG : 412. C : 335. 

10. Combating insects. — ^"The pea aphis is one of the most 
serious insect pests. Tobacco dust, scattered on the rows as soon 



PULSE CROP PROJECTS 265 

as the plants are up, is valuable, but the standard treatment is to 
spray the plants thoroughly with nicotine solutions. 

W-VG : 413. CL : 54, 71, 79. S-P : 36-43. 

Unlike the bean weevil, the pea weevil does not work in dried 
peas. Infested seed, even if the germ is not destroyed, produces 
weakened vines which do not set a normal number of pods. The 
beetles are similar in color to the bean weevil, but are larger. 
Eggs are laid on the surface of newly forming pods and the young 
weevil works through the pod into a pea, where its development is 
completed. The insect is single brooded, and remains in the 
seed over winter, or may leave it and hibernate in rubbish near by. 
It may be controlled by fumigation. 

Peas are subject to several diseases of the foliage, stems, and 
roots, most of which are of only local or minor importance. 
Spot is a disease wliich results in a spotting of the stems, leaves, and 
pods. It is most noticeable on the pods when the spots are cir- 
cular and sunken and is apt to be the most serious when the stems 
are attacked. Pea spot may be controlled by crop rotation and 
the planting of clean seed. Powdery mildew is another disease 
often spread in infected seed. It may be controlled by spraying 
with Bordeaux mixture. Bacterial blight is a disease of impor- 
tance in some sections. The stems and leaflets become watery and 
discolored a yellowish-brown. Stem rot may be of importance 
as a disease of seedlings. Liming the soil is often beneficial. 

1 . In what respects do the pea and the bean weevil differ f CL : 55. 

2. What is the life history of the pea weevil f CL : 55-56. 

3. Should weevil peas be planted? State reasons. CL : 56. 

4. Is it safe to store peas and beans as seed? CL : 64. 

5. Is control practicable? If so, describe the method. CL: 64-65. 



266 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

11. Harvesting and marketing. — Peas should be picked after 
they have attained full size but before they have hardened. This 
requires alertness and prompt action on the part of the grower. 

Green peas are generally sent to market in the pod, but when 
labor is available it may pay to shell them for local market. 

1. What is the best way for you to market your peas ? W-VG : 413. 

2. What profits might you realize per acref 



CHAPTER TEN 
PERENNIAL VEGETABLE PROJECTS 

Asparagus, Rhubarb, Jerusalem Artichoke, Globe Artichoke 

Asparagus, rhubarb, Jerusalem artichoke, and globe artichoke 
comprise the perennial group of vegetables, and they are men- 
tioned in order of importance. The artichokes are of so little 
importance that they are not given consideration as projects. 
The perennial vegetables are grown successfully throughout the 
North. They require fertile, well-drained soils. 

Project XVIII. Growing Asparagus 

Asparagus belongs to the lily family. Asparagus and onions 
are about the only crop plants of this large family, but numerous 
ornamental plants and some bad weeds belong here. Asparagus 
is a native of Europe and Asia, where it has been under cultivation 
for more than 2000 years, having been known to the ancient 
Greeks and Romans. It is a rugged plant able to withstand dry 
and poor soil but doing best in well-tilled soil rich in vegetable 
matter. In addition to common garden asparagus, there are 
several closely related ornamental species of asparagus. The so- 
called " asparagus fern '' (A. sprengeri) and " plumy asparagus '* 
used for decorative purposes and hanging baskets, and the *' smi- 
lax " of greenhouses belong to the same genus as the edible as- 
paragus. 

Asparagus has two sorts of stems, those growing underground 
and those coming above the ground. The underground stems 

267 



268 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

together with the attached roots form the '* crown." From the 
crown are sent up stems or shoots, at first thick and fleshy, which 
are often called the '* spears " and which form the edible part of 
the plant. Scale-like growths on these fleshy stems are the real 
leaves. In fact all of the leaves of the asparagus plants are small 
scales which do pot function at all as ordinary leaves. The green, 
filmy, leaf-like structures are in reality stems which are finely 
divided and which perform the functions of leaves. The flowers 
are inconspicuous both on account of their small size and greenish- 
yellow color. Flowers which develop pollen-bearing organs and 
flowers which develop fruits and seeds are borne on different plants. 
The former are considered to be more productive. The fruit is a 
roundish red berry and usually contains two dark triangular seeds. 
The seeds remain alive for a long time, possibly four or five years. 

1. How long has asparagus been under cultivation? 

2. How are the " asparagus ferns " and '* smilax " related to 

common asparagus ! 

3. What part of the plant is the fleshy " spear "? 

4. What is the structure of the filmy green growth? 

5. How do the plants differ in the kind of flowers produced ? 

Project Outline 

1. Why grow asparagus? 

2. Selecting location. 

3. Selecting varieties. 

4. Starting the plants. 

5. Preparing the soil. 

6. Planting. 

7. Cultivating. 



PERENNIAL VEGETABLE PROJECTS 269 

8. Combating insects and diseases. 

9. Maintaining fertility. 

10. Harvesting and marketing. 

1. Why grow asparagus ? — Asparagus is considered one of the 
most profitable of the vegetable crops, wherever satisfactory 
markets are available. It is a crop, too, that responds well to 
scientific treatment, thus enabling thoughtful and careful growers 
to make splendid returns. 

The growing of asparagus does not appeal at first to gardeners 
of little experience who are anxious to realize profits at the earliest 
possible date, but to those who are willing to wait a few years 
for returns it ofTers excellent business opportunities. Well-man- 
aged plantations will produce profitable crops for fifteen years 
or even longer, if the market does not object too seriously to 
the diminishing size of the shoots, which is likely to occur after 
the plantations are eight to ten years old. 

When strong roots are planted in rich soil and given the best 
treatment, they should produce about $50 worth of asparagus to 
the acre the second season, without causing any harm to the 
plants. The third year probably $200 an acre can be cut without 
any devitalizing effect on the plants, and $300 to $500 thereafter, 
depending on the size of the crop and condition of the market. 

1. Will it pay you to undertake the growing of asparagus as a 

business proposition ? W-VG : 223. 

2. What should be the gross returns over a period often years? The 

net profits? W-VG : 223. 

3. What is known about the history of asparagus ? 

W-VG: 202. C : 113. H:l. 

2. Selecting location. — W:271. The best plantations of as- 
paragus are found in deep, rich, sandy loams. If the white or 



270 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

blanched *' grass " is to be grown, a sandy soil is almost indis- 
pensable. However, markets do not demand white shoots as much 
as they did years ago. The green product is now preferred by most 
markets as well as by the great majority of consumers. It is 
possible, then, to grow excellent asparagus in any soil that is fertile 
enough to grow a good crop of corn. Deep, sandy loams are pref- 
erable, but if such soils are not available, use heavier types and 
improve them as explained in W: 271. 

1. Do you have a suitable location for growing asparagus ? 

W-VG : 205-206. L:195. C:114. H : 43. 

2. What is the nature of your soil ? 

3. What is the character of the soil in New Jersey where asparagus 

is grown largely for market f 

4. Why is sandy soil preferable for growing ** white " grass and what 

is meant by this term? W-VG : 211. 

3. Selecting varieties. — Of the old varieties, Palmetto is 
decidedly the best and should be planted in preference to Conover, 
Colossal, or any other of the old sorts. In recent years, attention 
has been called to new rust-resistant strains of superior merit, 
developed at the Concord Asparagus Experiment Station, Concord, 
Mass., and one or more of these strains should be obtained if 
possible. Martha Washington and Mary Washington are among 
the best. 

1. What varieties should you plant and what are your reasons for 
selecting them ? 
W-VG : 204. H : 17-22. Bulletins, Bureau of Plant In- 
dustry, U. S. Department of Agriculture. 

4. Starting the plants. — Success in growing asparagus de- 
pends very largely on our ability to obtain the best seed of the 



PERENNIAL VEGETABLE PROJECTS 271 

best varieties and to grow a surplus of good plants so that we do 
not need to use any small or weak plants. Too much emphasis 
cannot be placed on the importance of planting the best stock. 

Another year is required to start the plants at home but the 
lost time should be more than made up by increased profits. The 
seed should be selected from superior plants, and if such plants 
are not available in the neighborhood, seed should be ordered from 
specialists who make a business of selling high-grade seed. 

Seed should be sown as early in the spring as the ground can 
be prepared, in good garden soil. The seeds should be dropped 2 
or 3 inches apart in shallow furrows 20 inches apart. An inch of 
covering will be sufficient unless the soil is sandy and then 2 inches 
will be better. The seeds are very slow to germinate so that it 
is a good plan to drop radish seeds in the drills at intervals of sev- 
eral feet. These will soon germinate, and the young plants will 
mark the rows, thus enabling the use of cultivators before the 
asparagus plants are up. A heavy mulch of fresh horse manure 
placed between the rows about midsummer is very helpful in 
encouraging a vigorous growth of the plants. 

Experiments have shown that large roots are much more pro- 
ductive than small ones so that it is important to grow many more 
roots than will be needed and then plant the strongest ones. 

1. What kind of roots pay the best? W-VG : 208. 

2. How would you proceed to grow your own roots ? 

W-VG: 208. L : 193. H : 30-36. 

3. Why is mulching with horse manure so beneficial in growing the 

roots ? 

5. Preparing the soil. — W : 269. Soil preparation should be 
thorough. The plantation should yield satisfactory profits for a 
long term of years. Unusual preparation is made for the re- 



272 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

markable asparagus fields of France. In the United States many 
growers plow down heavy clover sods in the fall of the year before 
the asparagus is planted. Others make large applications of stable 
manure. There is no question about the desirability of a liberal 
supply of humus. Commercial fertilizers are also employed in 
large amounts for this crop. Some is used before the roots are 
planted and later applications are made along the rows. A high- 
grade mixture is preferred. Nitrogen is highly essential, and phos- 
phorus may be the limiting factor in some soils. Before the great 
World War potash was used in large amounts for this crop. A mix- 
ture of 200 pounds of nitrate of soda and 500 pounds of acid phos- 
phate, scattered along the rows after the plants are up, should be 
highly beneficial. 

1. What crops might be selected to precede asparagus? Give 

reasons for suggesting them. 

2. What preliminary tillage operations are necessary? 

3. What kind of fertilizer treatment do you recommend ? 

W-VG : 213. 

4. Why is a liberal supply of organic matter recommeiided for this 

crop? 

5. Hoiv do 7iitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium function in the 

growing of asparagus? 

6. What do you know about the fertilizer treatments for this crop in 

California and elsewhere? H : 72-82. 

6. Planting. — Asparagus should be planted very early in the 
spring. For green shoots the rows need not be more than 4 feet 
apart, though many growers allow more space. The plants are 
generally spaced 18 to 24 inches apart in the row. The usual 



PERENNIAL VEGETABLE PROJECTS 



273 




274 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

custom is to make furrows, about 8 inches deep, after the land 
has been plowed, disked, and harrowed until well prepared. 
It may be necessary to make two or three rounds with the plow 
and to use hand shovels before the furrows are deep enough. 
However, we should avoid turning up the subsoil. Deep planting 
is important because the buds of each successive year form a little 
higher on the crown and are soon injured by tillage tools unless 
roots are at good depth. The roots are covered at first with only 
2 or 3 inches of soil, which is pressed firmly over the crown and 
fleshy roots, then more soil is filled into the trenches from time to 
time, after the plants are up, until the surface of the ground is 
level. 

1. When should asparagus be planted ? W-VG : 217. L : 195. 

2. What are the proper planting distances to grow green shoots? 

W-VG : 216. C : 115, 117. H : 50-53. 

3. How deep should asparagus be planted? 

W-VG: 217. L:195. H : 53. 

4. How and when should the furrows be filled ? 

W-VG: 218. L:195. 

5. What do you know about the planting distances used in other parts 

of the country f 

6. What is the relation of planting distances to yield? To profits f 

7. Cultivating. — W:68. The crop should have clean tillage 
throughout the season, or as long as it is possible to use a culti- 
vator between the rows. Early in the spring, before cutting 
begins, and also at the close of the cutting season, a disk harrow 
may be employed to advantage in working over the entire area, 
regardless of rows. A small percentage of the buds in old plan- 



PERENNIAL VEGETABLE PROJECTS 275 

tations will be destroyed but the benefit will far exceed the damage. 
If the ground becomes very weedy, it is desirable to ridge up the 
soil over the rows at the last cultivation after cropping has ceased 
and to work these ridges down in the spring. 

1. How and when should asparagus plantations be cultivated? 

W-VG:218. L:195. H: 61-71. 

2. What tools are needed? W-VG:219. 

8. Combating insects and diseases. — The common asparagus 
beetle does much harm to the tender shoots and to the bushy 
plants on which both beetles and grubs feed. The blackish, 
spindle-shaped eggs attached to the leaves and stems attract as 
much attention as the strikingly marked beetles. The beetles 
winter under convenient shelter, and emerge in early spring when 
the tender asparagus tips begin to grow. Eggs laid on these 
shoots hatch into young grubs, which feed on the tender stalk 
until mature, when they enter the ground to complete the trans- 
formation. They may be controlled by clean cutting of tender 
shoots, by trap crops, and by poison sprays. 

Rust is the only fungous disease that causes much damage 
to asparagus. This disease was undoubtedly introduced from 
Europe. It was first noted in New England about 1896. Since 
that time it has spread over the entire country. In the early 
stages there is a reddening of the tops. This is followed by a 
falling of the greenish, leaf -like structures, leaving the stalks bare. 
Late in the season blackish raised spots appear on the old stalks. 
These black spots contain the spores which winter over. Old 
tops with these blackish spots should be cut off and burned. The 
spears are not affected but the vitality of the plants is so lowered 
by the rust that the crowns become unproductive. The mo^ 
effective method of combating asparagus rust is the use of resist- 
ant varieties. The Palmetto and Washington strains are very 



276 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

» 
resistant. Dusting with sulphur is effective in a dry climate like 

California. 

1. Why is the asparagus beetle so destructive? CL : 203. 

2. Describe the color markings of the beetles. CL : 201-202. 

3. Describe the grub. CL : 203. 

4. Do parasites attack this pest? CL : 204. 

5. What are some methods for control f CL : 204-205. 

6. What are the symptoms by which asparagus rust may be 

recognized? SH : 149-150. 

7. Why should clean culture and sanitation be practiced f 

8. What is the most effective method of combating asparagus ru^st ? 

9. Maintaining soil fertility. — Both the supply of organic 
matter and plant food must be maintained from year to year in 
order to obtain satisfactory crops. As a rule, stable manure, 
10 tons or more to the acre, is used to keep up the supply of humus, 
though cover crops are employed to some extent. Part of the 
fertilizer is applied early in the spring and part at the close of the 
cutting season. It is likely that 1000 pounds annually to the acre 
can be profitably applied in well-managed plantations. Some 
of the most successful growers use double this amount. For 
composition see W : 271. 

1. How may the fertility of the plantation be maintained so as to 

secure satisfactory net returns? W-VG : 213-216. 

2. When should the fertilizer be applied? Are you certain that 

any immediate benefit is derived from early spring applica- 
tions in fields that are to be cut ? 



PERENNIAL VEGETABLE PROJECTS 



277 



10. Harvesting and marketing. — Asparagus should be cut 
before the shoots begin to break and form tops. In order to 
cut each shoot before this happens, the fields must be looked over 
frequently, nearly every day, when the growing conditions are 
most favorable. The 
length of the shoots 
will be determined 
largely by market de- 
mands, 7 to 10 inches, 
when bunched, being 
the most common 
length. Even with 
green shoots, a com- 
mon practice is to cut 
the shoot 2 inches 
or more below the 
surface of the ground. 

The bunches should 
be of the proper size 
to meet market re- 
quirements. They generally weigh from two to three pounds. 
One pound bunches are preferred by many consumers, especially 
when asparagus is selling at rather high prices. Asparagus 
should be graded, thoroughly cleaned, and the bunches tied with 
blue or red tape. 

1. How often should the plantation be looked over for marketable 

shoots? W-VG:22L H : 85. 

2. What should be the length of the shoots when cut for market ? 

W-VG : 221. 




Fig. 69. — Asparagus ready to cut. 



3. How should they be harvested and prepared for market ? 
W-VG : 221-223. L : 198. C : 1 18. 



278 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

4. Hoiv many pound bunches should he produced on an acre of land? 

W-VG : 223. 

5. What is the composition and food value of asparagus ? 

Project XIX. Growing Rhubarb 

Rhubarb, known also as pie plant, belongs to the buckwheat 
family. Rhubarb and buckwheat are the chief crop plants of 
this family. Dock, knotweed, and field sorrel are weeds which 
belong here. Rhubarb is a native of Asia. 

Rhubarb is a perennial plant with a large root system and 
more or less woody underground stems. These underground 
stems are used in propagating the plant. The leaves come 
up from this underground shoot in the early spring, and later 
the shoots appear which bear the flowers. By removing the flower 
shoots the nourishment which would go into them is stored in 
the underground system, thus making more growth there. The 
leaves are large, heart shaped at base, and with prominent veins. 
The edible portions of the plant are the enlarged leaf stalks. 
The quality of these is best early in the spring. 

Injuries to rhubarb by the rhubarb curculio are caused by feed- 
ing and egg laying in the leaf stalks. The larvae cannot live in rhu- 
barb owing to the unusual amount of sap, and if wild plants 
about rhubarb are destroyed, the opportunity for their increase 
will be lessened. 

1 . To what family does rhubarb belong f 

2. How many kinds of stems does the rhubarb possess? 

3. What part of the plant is used for food purposes? 

4. What insects affect rhubarb? CL : 251. 

5. Why is the curculio so serious a pest? CL : 251. 



PERENNIAL VEGETABLE PROJECTS 279 

Project Outline 

1. Why grow rhubarb? 

2. Selecting location. 

3. Selecting variety. 

4. Preparing soil. 
5.. Planting. 

6. Cultivating. 

7. Maintaining fertility. 

8. Forcing. 

9. Harvesting and marketing. 

1. Why grow rhubarb ? — Rhubarb is grown in practically all 
home gardens. It is also produced throughout the country for 
commercial purposes. The crop is easily grown and pays good 
profits wherever a satisfactory market can be found, but the 
tendency is to overstock most of the markets, so that very careful 
consideration should be given the matter before engaging in 
rhubarb culture as a business proposition. 

1. Visit your markets and ascertain whether there is a demand for 
rhubarb before deciding to make its culture a business project. 

2. Selecting location. — W : 269. Rhubarb will thrive in any 
well-drained soil that is adequately supplied with humus and 
plant food. The soil requirements are about the same as for 
asparagus (W : 271). 

3. Selecting variety. — Two varieties are grown mainly, Vic- 
torious and Linnaeus (also called " Strawberry "). The former is 
more vigorous, but Linnaeus produces beautiful pink stalks that 
are preferred by most markets. 

1. What variety will you select? W-VG : 420. 

2. What is known about the history of the rhubarb? 

W-VG : 419. 



280 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

4. Preparing soil. — All that was said about preparing the soil 
for asparagus (W : 271) applies equally well to rhubarb. 

5. Planting. — Though rhubarb may be propagated from seed, 
this method is seldom employed because there is such a wide 
variation in the character of the seedlings. The method is of 
doubtful value, even when the plants are wanted for forcing pur- 
poses. The usual method of propagation is by root division. 
After about four crops of rhubarb are harvested from a plantation, 
the stalks become too small to satisfy market demands and the 
roots are then plowed out, and often used for forcing. If desired 
a sufficient number of strong eyes may be saved to set the new 
plantation. 

The propagation of this crop is an exceedingly simple matter. 
The roots or eyes are generally planted 3X4 or 4X4 feet 
apart. If planted in check rows, a horse cultivator may be used 
both ways, which is a great advantage. The roots should be planted 
in furrows opened with a plow and covered with several inches of 
soil. Early spring is the favorite time for planting. 

1. How is rhubarb propagated ? L : 199. C : 403. 

2. When should it be planted? What are the proper planting 

distances? W-VG : 420. L:199. C : 404. 

6. Cultivating. — W : 274. Thorough tillage should be given 
with horse cultivators. The loss of moisture by transpiration 
from the enormous leaves is very great, so that the conservation 
of soil moisture is an important matter in growing large crops. 

1. What kind of cultivation do you recommend for rhubarb? 
W-VG: 421. 

7. Maintaining fertility. — Rhubarb plantations should receive 
heavy applications of stable manure every fall, supplemented by 
probably 1000 pounds to the acre of high-grade fertilizer, applied 
early in the spring. High fertility is essential in the production of 
large stalks. 



PERENNIAL VEGETABLE PROJECTS 281 

1. What procedure is necessary to maintain the fertility of a rhu- 
barb plantation ? W-VG : 42L L : 200. C : 403. 

2. What is the composition of rhubarb f 

8. Forcing. — Rhubarb is forced on quite a large scale for 
commercial purposes. It is a very simple proposition in a hotbed, 
greenhouse, steam-heated frame, residence cellar, or wherever 
some artificial heat can be provided. For several years, the 
author has been forcing a few roots every year in coal ashes placed 
about five feet from the hot water furnace, used to heat the 
residence. 

Roots are dug in the fall and covered with leaves or other litter 
until wanted for forcing. Then they are exposed to freezing 
weather for a few days. About two inches of either hard or soft 
coal ashes are placed on the cellar floor and the roots set on the 
ashes as closely together as possible. Additional ashes are worked 
into the spaces between the roots which are covered to the depth 
of about two inches. The bed is then soaked with water. 
After the leaf blades begin to appear, brown paper is placed over 
the bed and more water is applied at intervals of ten days or two 
weeks. In about thirty days the first cutting will be ready. When 
forced in subdued light, the leaf blades are mere rudiments and the 
stalks are a beautiful pink, exceedingly tender and of the best 
quality. The skin is so tender that it is unnecessary to peel the 
stalks. The stalks are harvested until the roots are exhausted, after 
which they are thrown away. 

1. Would it pay you to force rhubarb? 

2. Can you explain the principles involved in the forcing of rhu- 

barb? W-VF:191. 



282 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

3. Explain the whole process of forcing rhubarb. 

W-VF : 190-203. C : 404. 

4. What do you know about the returns or profits of rhubarb forcing f 

W-VF : 202. 

9. Harvesting and marketing. — The stalks in the open ground 
plantations may be pulled as soon as they have a marketable 
length, and harvesting continued during the season until the plants 
begin to show exhaustion. They should be tied into bundles 
of the size desired by the market, the number of stalks ranging 
from a very few to about eight. INIany growers use either blue 
or red tape to tie the bunches. 

1. How do you think rhubarb should be prepared for your market? 

L : 200. C : 405. 

2. What does your market generally pay for rhubarb ? 

3. Have you any idea what an acre should produce ? 



CHAPTER TEN 
SWEET CORN PROJECT 

Okra and martynia are unimportant vegetables that may be 
included in the sweet corn group. 

Project XX. Growing Sweet Corn 

Corn is a member of the grass family. There are several 
thousand species of plants in this family. Here belong the cereals 
or grains, such as wheat, oats, barley, and rye, and the meadow 
and pasture grasses. Corn was being cultivated by the Indians 
when America was discovered and was for a long time known as 
Indian corn. It has also been called maize. Although not now 
known to exist in a wild form, it is generally believed to be a 
native of the warmer regions of America. It grows under cultiva- 
tion in the cooler areas but is distinctly a warm climate plant. 

Corn is an annual, completing its life-cycle and maturing seed 
during a single summer. The root system is fibrous, and although 
the upper roots are near the surface, the lowermost roots finally 
reach a considerable depth, possibly three feet or even more. In 
addition to the ordinary roots, corn plants often develop " prop " 
or " brace " roots from the nodes just above the surface. 

Corn is such a large plant that one scarcely thinks of it as be- 
longing with the grasses. There is considerable variation in the 
height of the stems. Some of the dwarf varieties are less than 
three feet in height, while some forms reach a height of fifteen feet. 
The stem is jointed and filled with pith. " Suckers " or branches 
often arise from the lower joints, but they are considered undesir- 
able as they absorb considerable nourishment but are not usually 

283 



284 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

fruitful. The leaves arise in a true grass-like manner and consist 
of two parts, the blade, and the sheath that envelops the stem. 
The leaf blades have a special structure which enables them to 
roll up under dry conditions when the plant is not receiving suffi- 
cient water. By rolling up, the evaporation of water is retarded. 
When supplied with sufficient water the leaves flatten out. 

Corn plants have two types of flowers, the pollen-bearing ones 
being in clusters at the top known as the " tassel," and the fruit- 
and seed-developing flowers borne in dense clusters or spikes 
in the axils of leaves lower down on the stem. This cluster of 
flowers when matused into fruit becomes the " ear." The pollen- 
receiving organs on the young ears are spoken of as ^' silks." 
Cross-pollination, i.e. the transfer of pollen from the tassel of one 
plant to the silks of another, produces the best yields. Wind and 
gravity are the chief agents in distributing the pollen. If pollen 
from a different strain happens to be brought to the silks, crossing 
will occur which may result in new characters appearing at once. 
If crossing is not desired, different strains must not be grown in 
adjoining plots. 

All cultivated corn is regarded as one species, but there are 
several sub-groups or sub-species such as flint corn, dent corn, 
pop corn, and sweet corn. 

1 . To what family does corn belong f 

2. Of what region is corn supposed to be a native? 

3. What sort of root system does the corn plant develop? 

4. What are ^* suckers " ? Are they desirable? 

5. How can you tell ivhen corn plants are not obtaining enough 

water? 



SWEET CORN PROJECT 285 

6. What do you understand to be the relation of cross-pollination to 

yield? 

7. // field corn and sweet corn grow in adjoining fields, would there 

he any noticeable effect upon the ripening of the ear? 

Project Outline 

1. Why grow sweet corn ? 

2. Selecting location. 

3. Choosing varieties. 

4. Preparing soil. 

5. Planting. 

6. Starting early plants. 

7. Cultivating. 

8. Suckering. 

9. Combating insects. 

10. Harvesting and marketing. 

1. Why grow sweet corn ? — The growing of sweet corn for 
commercial purposes appeals to gardeners who are well equipped 
with land, horses, and the larger tillage implements, and who 
have easily accessible markets that are not fully supplied with this 
vegetable. Gross receipts of $150 to S300 an acre are possible, 
and with good management net profits should be very satis- 
factory. There is an increasing demand for sweet corn of the 
highest quality, and excellent prices can generally be obtained for 
ears of the best varieties, such as Golden Bantam, marketed at 
the proper stage of ripeness. 

1. Do you have the proper facilities for the growing of sweet corn 

for commercial purposes ? 

2. Do you think sweet corn will pay you as well as some other 

crops ? 



286 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

3. Is your market well supplied with this vegetable ? 

4. How can the fodder be utilized to best advantage ? 

W-VG : 434. Wi : 186. 

5. What is the history of sweet corn f Wi : 3-7. 

6. Whatisthebotanijofthisjylant? Wi:l. W:283. 

7. What do you know about the sweet corn canning industry of the 

United States? Wi : 158-185. 

2. Selecting location. — W : 40. Excellent sweet corn may be 
grown in any soil that will produce a good crop of field corn. 
Southern or southeastern exposures and sandy soils are favorable 
to an early crop. The heaviest yields are obtained in sandy or 
clay loams which abound in plant food and organic matter. A 
heavy clover sod, plowed down late in the fall or early in the 
spring, provides ideal conditions for the growing of sweet corn. 
Thorough soil drainage is always essential. 

1. What is the most favorable location for the production of a 

very early crop of sweet corn ? Do you have such a location ? 
Wi : 45. 

2. How does sweet corn compare with field corn in the require- 

ments of the location ? C : 225. 

3. Why is good soil drainage essential for sweet corn ? 

3. Choosing varieties. — There are many excellent varieties of 
sweet corn. Adams Early is very hardy and extremely early. 
It is not a sweet corn at all, but really a white dent corn. This 
variety may be planted at least ten days earlier than the usual 
sweet varieties. White Cob Cory is an excellent early sweet corn 
closely followed by Howling Mob. 



SWEET CORN PROJECT 287 

Golden Bantam is a universal favorite because of its very 
superior quality. Many growers specialize with this variety and 
make successive plantings so as to have marketable ears from 
July until destructive frosts occur in the fall. Thousands of 
consumers now recognize this variety as the leader in quality. 

Country Gentleman and Stowell's Evergreen are the most 
extensively grown late varieties. Both are very prolific and make 
a large amount of fodder. 

1. What varieties of sweet corn do you think will pay you best? 

W-VG: 430-431. Wi : 33. 

2. How may varieties of sweet corn be classified f 

W-VG: 430-431. Wi : 35-37. 

3. How does sweet corn vary in quality? Name varieties represent- 

ing the different degrees of quality. 

4. What varieties are grown most largely for the canning industry? 

W-VG: 431. 

4. Preparing soil. — Soil that has been properly prepared for 
early cabbage (W : 99) will be satisfactory for the growing of 
sweet corn. As previously indicated (W : 286) heavy sod land 
should be plowed late in the fall or early in the spring. This crop 
responds to the liberal application of both stable manure and com- 
mercial fertilizers. When clover sod or leguminous crops have 
been plowed down, the fertilizer treatment may be restricted to 
commercial plant foods. Stable manures will probably be found 
especially valuable in soils that are thought to be deficient in 
organic matter. 

1. When should your soil be plowed for sweet corn ? 

2. Do you think you should apply stable manure? If so, how 

much? W-VG: 432. 0:224. Wi:ll. 



288 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

3. Will you need commercial fertilizer to make your crop a success ? 

What kind and how much ? W-VG : 432. 

4. Prepare a statement of the various manures and fertilizers you 

will need. 

5. Planting. — In the production of a profitable crop of sweet 
corn, early planting is generally an important factor. Some 
growers place so much emphasis on early planting that they take 
considerable risk of the seed rotting because of a cold soil and 
the plants being killed by spring frosts. If the first planting is 
lost, it is a simple matter to make a second. In most parts of the 
North sweet corn may be planted with comparative safety be- 
tween May 1 and May 10. Subsequent plantings should be made 
at intervals of two weeks until July, provided the season is long 
enough for the ears to reach the roasting ear stage from the latest 
plantings. 

Though the crop is often grown in hills, it is more economical 
to plant in drills with a seed drill, the spacing of which will depend 
mainly on the height or vigor of the varieties to be grown. For 
tall sorts, such as Stowell's Evergreen, the rows should be about 
three and one-half feet apart and the plants about a foot apart in 
the row. Early varieties may be planted in rows three feet apart or 
closer and the plants do not need so much space in the rows. 
Sweet corn is generally covered with about two inches of soil, but 
the earliest plantings should not be covered with more than an inch. 

1. When should sweet corn be planted in your community ? 

2. To what extent should the date of planting be regulated by the 

variety used ? 

3. What are the proper planting distances for the variety you have 

selected ? W-VG : 433. C : 225. Wi : 19. 

4. How deep should the seed be covered ? Wi : 19. 



SWEET CORN PROJECT 289 

6. Starting early plants. — W : 46. Some market gardeners 
have found it profitable to start part of the plants under glass. 
A cold frame will serve the purpose very well. Perhaps it is never 
desirable to plant the seed more than three weeks in advance of 
setting the plants in the open ground. Three-inch paper pots, 
filled with good soil, are satisfactory. About six grains of corn 
should be planted in each pot, and then the plants should be 
thinned to three or four, and at the proper time each pot of plants 
planted in the field or garden to make a hill. 

1. Explain the details of starting sweet corn under glass. 

W-VG : 432. 

2. How much time do you think would be gained in starting the 

plants under glass? 

3. Do you think it would pay you to use this method ? 

7. Cultivating. — Corn should have thorough cultivation 
until it is impossible to drive between the rows with a horse. 
Any crusts formed on the surface of the ground before the plants 
are up should be broken by the use of a horse-drawn weeder. 
Some hand hoeing may be necessary to keep the plot free from 
weeds. A top dressing with nitrate of soda when the plants are a 
foot or two high is common practice. 

1. What implements will you need to cultivate your sweet corn ? 

2. Give explicit directions for the use of the weeder and cultivator 

for this crop. Wi : 23-25. 

8. Suckering. — Some varieties of sweet corn produce a great 
many shoots or suckers about the main stalk. There is no ques- 
tion about their interfering more or less with the development of 
large ears, and for this reason it pays to remove them as soon as 
possible after their appearance. Wi : 25, 72, 182. 



290 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



9. Combating insects and diseases. — A number of insects attack 
sweet corn, such as wire worms, white grubs, or sod worms, destroy- 
ing young plants soon after germination. Lice or other -sucking in- 
sects, or climbing caterpillars, among which are army worms, the 
corn earworm, and stalk borers, cause much injury in some seasons. 




Fig. 70. — Corn root web worm; work 
on young corn. 



Fig. 71. — Injury by corn earworm. 



The corn earworm is probably the most important insect 
enemy of sweet corn. It will live on almost any vegetable crop, 
but has a particular liking for tomatoes. Injuries are caused 
by the dull greenish or brown striped caterpillars which hatch 
from eggs deposited in the corn silk and gradually work through 
into the ear, feeding first on the outer kernels and later probably 
damaging a large portion of the ear. Control measures suggested 
are dusting, early planting, and spraying of tomatoes. 



SWEET CORN PROJECT 291 

Smut is the most widespread and destructive disease of sweet 
corn. It is responsible for enormous annual losses to field corn. 
Stems, leaves, tassels, and ears are attacked by the fungus. The 
first signs are swellings covered with a whitish, glistening mem- 
brane. Later the swellings break open and expose blackish, 
powdery masses of spores. Corn smut is a difficult disease to 
control. Removal of the smut masses tends to reduce the 
amount of damage. They should be destroyed by burning. A 
thick stand of corn is most liable to be smutted because crowding 
interferes with circulation of air among the plants and produces 
humid conditions favoring infection. 

1. What is the range of the corn ear-worm in the United States? 

CL:212. 

2. Name the common vegetables eaten by this pest. CL : 212. 

3. What is the feeding habit of the corn ear-worm F CL : 215-216. 

4. Describe fully several control practices. CL : 217-218. 

5. What are some other important sweet-corn insects? 

CL : 218, 222, 225, 227, 228, 229, 233. 

6. How may developing corn smut be recognized ? SH : 284. 

7. What measures may be practiced to reduce the injury from smut ? 

SH:286. 

10. Harvesting and marketing. — The quality of sweet corn 
depends very largely upon the stage of maturity when the ears 
are pulled. The kernels should be plump and tender. If under- 
ripe, flavor is lacking ; if over-ripe, the hard kernels are objec- 
tionable as human food. Experience can soon be acquired which 
will enable one to pull practically all the ears at the proper time 
without examining the kernels of each ear. 



292 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

Sweet corn is sold by the dozen, or by the hundred ears, and 
sometimes by weight and measure. Various styles of hampers 
and crates are used for shipping the crop. 

1. To what extent is the quality of sweet corn determined by the 

stage of maturity when the ears are pulled ? C : 336. Wi : 31. 

2. What is the best package for the marketing of your crop ? How 

many packages will you need ? 



CHAPTER ELEVEN 
THE HOME GARDEN PROJECT 

The World War emphasized the importance of the home garden. 

It has made large contributions to the nation's food supply. 
Never before have our people, as a nation, so fully realized the 
possibilities of materially adding to our food supply through the 
cultivation of thousands of small home plots. 

Project XXI. Making the Home Garden 

1. Why have a home garden? 

2. Selecting location. 

3. When to plant. 

4. What to plant. 

5. How much to plant. 

6. Making garden plans. 

7. Obtaining seed. 

8. Making germination tests. 

9. Starting early plants. 

10. Selecting tools. 

11. Preparing soil. 

12. Planting. 

13. Cultivating. 

14. Hoeing. 

15. Weeding. 

16. Thinning. 

17. Combating insects and diseases. 

18. Harvesting the crops. 

19. Storing the late crops. 

293 



294 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

1. Why have a home garden ? — A great many people who like 
to grow vegetables do not care to produce them for commercial 
purposes. This is true of many students and members of boys' 
and girls' clubs. Then, why not make a home garden — the 
best in your community? It is quite unnecessary to produce 
arguments in favor of home gardening. Who doesn't prefer 
vegetables from his own plot and produced by his own labor, 
to the ones that are available at the public markets ? Health, 
pleasure, and perhaps profit are the rewards of the diligent gar- 
dener. It is natural for all members of the family, old and young, 
to be interested in a well-planned and well-kept vegetable garden. 
As a real project for students, club members, and home keepers, it 
offers many inducements. No farmer should consider his farm 
complete without a garden ample for the year-around needs of his 
family. Not only will his table be more attractive in summer 
with such a garden, but there will be a surplus for canning and 
winter storage, and the health of his family will be greatly im- 
proved by the better-balanced diet thus made possible. 

1. Will it pay you to make a home garden instead of undertaking 

a commercial gardening project? 

2. What are the benefits and advantages of home gardens ? 

2. Selecting location. — It often happens, especially in cities 
and villages, that there can be no choice of location, for the 
garden must be made on whatever ground is available. In the 
open country, however, where it is generally possible to select areas 
that are the best adapted to this important purpose, the following 
factors should have consideration : 

1. Th>e plot should be located as conveniently as possible to 
the residence. This is especially important when the garden 
makers must also attend to most of the household duties. 

2. Sandy loams provide the best conditions for the growing 



THE HOME GARDEN PROJECT 295 

of the various classes of vegetables, especially the root crops. 
However, almost any soil may be treated so as to produce good 
vegetables. W:305. 

3. Southern or southeastern exposures are best, because they 
are warmer and produce earlier crops. 

4. Good soil drainage is absolutely essential. If there is any 
question about this matter, the soil should be properly tile-drained. 

5. A full amount of sunshine is necessary for the best results. 
Buildings and trees that would shade the garden should be 
avoided as much as possible. 

1. What are the ideal soil conditions for a home garden? 

2. What other factors should be considered in selecting a location ? 

3. Give as minute description as possible of the soil that you will 

use. 

3. When to plant. — The home garden planting table on the 
last page of this book will be found very useful in determining the 
date when each vegetable should be planted. To Mr. John 
R. Bechtel of The Pennsylvania State College is due the credit 
for this table, which appears in Extension Circular No. 76. The 
dates given are for Pennsylvania, but they apply equally well to 
most parts of the North. Vegetables may be classified into four 
groups, according to their temperature requirements. The 
groups are described and listed as follows by Mr. Bechtel : 

1. " Very hardy " crops include the vegetables that are not 
injured by severe midwinter freezing, such as asparagus, horse- 
radish, parsnip, rhubarb, salsify, and the winter onion. 

2. " Hardy " crops thrive during cool weather, and will with- 
stand the frosts of spring and early fall, but not severe freezing. 
Such crops are cabbage, cauliflower, beet, carrot, turnips, lettuce, 
endive, onion, pea, radish, and spinach. All crops falling in 



296 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

classes one and two may be planted with safety as early in the 
spring as the ground can be prepared. 

3. '' Tender " crops are those which are quickly injured by frost 
— such as snap beans, sweet corn, cucumber, squash, and tomato. 

4. '' Very tender " crops are those that may be injured by con- 
tinued cool weather without frost. They should not be planted 
until the ground has become warm, usually about May 20 to June 
10. Such crops are lima bean, eggplant, muskmelon, and pepper. 

1. How are vegetables classified according to temperature require- 

ments ? 

2. What are the vegetables in the several groups ? 

3. When do you think each vegetable should be planted in your 

section ? 

4. Ascertain as many dates as possible of killing spring frosts in 

your neighborhood. 

4. What to plant. — There are three main considerations in 
determining what to plant in the home garden. Family prefer- 
ences should have first thought. It is folly to grow any consider- 
able quantity of vegetables that are not popular on the home 
table. We should produce an abundance of those for which there 
is a lively home demand. Second, the food value of the various 
kinds of vegetables should have special consideration in these times 
of high food prices. For example, meats are very expensive and 
it is easily possible to reduce the cash outlay for protein foods, 
including meats, fish, and eggs, by growing peas and beans, which 
have a large protein content. At the same time there should be a 
complete list of the salad plants and other vegetables that are com- 
posed mainly of the carbohydrates. Those which are rich in the 
vitamines should also have consideration. Third, we should strive 



THE HOME GARDEN PROJECT 



297 



to make such plantings as will provide vegetables for every month 
of the year. Too often the tendency is to make liberal plantings of 
the classes that are edible during the summer and fall months, but 
cannot be stored or preserved for winter consumption. Too much 





^ . 




'^^fM ?-^ 



% ft •> # 



Fig. 72. — A student garden showing various combinations of companion cropping. 

thought cannot be given the whole problem of what to plant to 
meet fully the requirements of the family. 

1. "What are the main considerations in determining what veg- 
etables to plant in the home garden ? 



2. How do vegetables dififer in their composition and food values ? 

5. How much to plant. — This is always a perplexing problem 
to the inexperienced gardener, and often to those who have had con- 




298 



THE HOME GARDEN PROJECT 299 

siderable experience. In most garden operations the tendency is 
to plant too largely of certain vegetables, which generally results 
in the waste of plant food, labor, and a portion of the crops. Most 
home gardeners plant more of the early crops, as lettuce and 
radishes, than can be utilized, and there is usually a shortage of the 
vegetables that are valuable for winter storage such as celery and 
the root crops. A very careful study should be made of the family 
requirements and the planting made accordingly. The following 
table, prepared by Mr. Bechtel, gives the estimated requirements 
for a family of five and also the approximate yield of small plant- 
ings : 

Estimated Requirements of a Family of Five 

Crop No, Feet of Row Approximate Yield 

FROM 100-FT. Row 

Asparagus 100 ft 100 lb. 

Bush bean (4 plantinos) . 50 ft. each planting .... 1^ bu. (pods) 

Bush Hma (1 planting) . 400 ft 1.5 qts. (shelled) 

Beet 75 ft. early, 100 ft. late 2 bu. 

Cabbage 50 ft. early, 100 ft. late 50 heads 

Carrot 50 ft. early, 100 ft. late 2 bu. 

Cauliflower, 1 ah . ... 50 ft 50 heads 

Celery 50 ft. early, 100 ft. late ..... 200 stalks 

Chard 10 ft 

Chicory 100ft 2^". (roots) 

Chinese cabbage .... 25 ft 100 heads 

Chive 5 ft 

Corn (6 plantings) ... 50 hills each 8 doz. 

Cucumber 10 hills 1| bu. 

Eggplant 40 ft 150 fruit 

Horseradish 15 ft 70 lb. 

Kale 20 ft 3 bu. 

Kohlrabi 25 ft. early, 50 ft. late 

Lettuce 50 ft 

Muskmelon 10 hills 60 fruits 

New Zealand spinach . . 10 ft 

Onion (sets) green . . . 100 ft 

Onion (sets or seed) mature 100 ft 1^ bu. 

Parsley 5 ft 



300 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

Crop No Ffet of Row Approximate Yield 

^^^^ ^°- *^^^ °^ ^^^ FROM 100-FT. Row 

Parsnip 40 ft 3 bu. 

Peas 300 ft. (more for canning) ... 2 bu. (pods) 

Pepper 25 ft 400 fruit 

Potato 100 ft. early, 1400 ft (l/lO A) late . . U bu. 

Radish 150 ft. . .- 

Rhubarb 15 ft 

Rutabaga ...... 100 ft 2 bu. 

Salsify 100 ft . . 2 bu. 

Spinach 50 ft. at each of 3 plantings . . . . 2§ bu. 

Squash 8 hills summer, 10 hills late 

Tomato 50 plants (enough . . j 10 bu. (staked) or 

for canning) . . | 6 bu. (not staked) 
Turnip 50 ft. early, 100 ft. late 2 bu. 

1. What will be the requirements of each crop for the family 
which you will supply ? (This question should be worked out 
in as much detail as possible.) 

6. Making garden plans. — We cannot hope to have satis- 
factory home gardens without making careful plans. The plans 
should be developed during the winter and then there should be 
no delay and very few mistakes in starting the real operations the 
following spring. 

The following fundamentals should have consideration in the 
development of home garden plans. 

1. The vegetables should be planted in straight rows to facili- 
tate cultivating with a wheel hoe. 

2. Perennial crops like rhubarb, asparagus, and horse radish 
should be planted along one side of the garden, so that they will 
not interfere with the planting of the annual crops. 

3. The early, quickly maturing crops, as radishes, lettuce, 
bunch onions, etc., should be planted in a strip at one side of the 
garden, perhaps next to the perennial vegetables, where they can 
be followed by later crops, and the remainder of the garden pre- 
pared and planted at the proper time. 



THE HOME GARDEN PROJECT 



301 




302 



VEGETABLP] GROWING PROJECTS 



4. The tall plants, as corn and peas, should be placed so that 
they will not shade the other crops. 

5. It is necessary to practice companion and succession cropping 
in order to utilize all of the ground to the best advantage. Satis- 
factory plans for the economical use of the soil throughout the 




Fig. 75. — A well-managed war garden. There are no vacancies in this garden. 

season cannot be made without a thorough knowledge of the 
plants to be grown, with special reference to their habit of growth 
and time of maturity. 

There is no model plan that is equally suitable for all home 
gardens. Every plan should be prepared with a view of getting 
the best results for the family to be supplied. It is believed, how- 
ever, that the plans, prepared by Mr. Bechtel, and published in 
Extension Circular No. 76 of The Pennsylvania State College, 
will be found exceedingly helpful, especially to those who have had 
little experience as garden makers. See page 299. 



THE HOME GARDEN PROJECT 303 

1. What are the most important fundamental considerations in 

the making of garden plans ? 

2. What should you know about plants, their habits of growth, 

temperature requirements, and time of maturity ? 

3. Make a plan of the garden which you will plant. Be original^ 

but be certain you are right in the placing of each vegetable. 

7. Obtaining seed. — The utmost care should be exercised in 
obtaining seed for the home garden. There may be specialists 
in the community who could spare a little seed of their choice 
strains. It is often possible to procure seed of superior quality 
from well-known specialists in other parts of the country. When 
ordered by catalogue, we should be certain that we are patronizing 
a reliable house that will send good seed of the varieties wanted. 

1. Where will you obtain the seeds required for your home 

project ? 

2. Prepare a complete list of the seeds required and determine their 

cost. 

3. Order seeds as early as possible after the new catalogues are 

received. Early orders are more likely to be filled with the 
best seed. 

8. Making germination tests. — It is a simple matter to make 
a germination test of the seeds to be planted. This may be done 
by counting and planting twenty to one hundred seeds of each lot 
in a box placed in a warm, sunny window. If preferred, the seeds 
may be placed between blotters that are kept moist, or in a strip 
of cloth that is rolled up and tied and then dipped in warm water, 
more water being added whenever it is necessary in order to keep 
the cloth moist. If the seeds are kept in a warm place they will 



304 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



soon sprout, when the viable ones may be counted and the per- 
centage of germination determined. 

1. Make a germination test of the seeds you will plant, give a 
written explanation of the method employed and a report of 
the results. 



9. Starting early plants. — It is impossible to produce the 
earliest crops of cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes, peppers, egg- 




FiG. 76. — A community display of vegetables. 

plant, lettuce, celery, and a few other vegetables of minor impor- 
tance without starting the plants under glass. A hotbed, which 
later may be used as a cold frame, will serve the purpose very well. 
Instructions regarding hotbed construction and the various phases 
of starting plants under glass may be found in W : 44. 

1. What equipment will you need to start your plants under glass? 



THE HOME GARDEN PROJECT 305 

2. When should each kind of vegetable be sown? 

3. How much seed will you need to sow of each kind that should 

be started under glass ? 

4. When should the seedlings be transplanted into the cold frame 

and how much space will they need ? 

5. What do you know about the hardening of plants ? W : 63. 

10. Selecting tools. — Comparatively little time is required to 
make and maintain a good garden if you have the proper tools, 
and the pleasure derived will depend very largely upon this factor. 
In too many instances a spading fork or shovel, hoe, rake, and line 
constitute the entire equipment. In addition to these tools there 
should be perhaps two or three styles of hoes, besides a trowel, 
dibber, hand weeders, labels, and by all means a good single or 
double- wheel hoe. With a wheel hoe one can cultivate a large 
garden in a remarkably short period as compared with the time 
that is necessary to cover the same area with an ordinary hoe. A 
hand sprayer may be needed and a hose and sprinkling can are 
always useful. 

1. What tools will you need for your garden and what will they 
cost ? How are they used ? 

11. Preparing soil. — The preparation of the home garden soil 
should be as nearly perfect as possible. Large results will be 
expected from this intensively farmed area. There should be, 
therefore, no uncertainty about the soil being as good as it is 
possible to have it. Drain it if necessary. Then apply lime, 
stable manure, and commercial fertilizer in the proper amounts. 
Be thorough. W:63. 

12. Planting. — When the proper date arrives for planting and 
the soil is well prepared and contains the right degree of moisture. 



306 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 




THE HOME GARDEN PROJECT 307 

no time should be lost. Promptness in planting is an exceedingly 
important factor in garden making. Because of late plantings, 
thousands of families do not have vegetables from their own 
gardens as early as they should. 

13. Cultivating. — Clean tillage is one of the secrets of a suc- 
cessful garden. As previously indicated (W : 68) it conserves soil 
moisture besides serving several other very useful purposes. The 
wheel hoe should be used as often as necessary to keep the surface 
of the soil fine and loose. 

1. How soon should the garden be cultivated after a heavy rain? 

2. How deep do you think your garden should be cultivated ? 

3. How long will it take you to cultivate your garden with a wheel 

hoe ? With a hand hoe ? 

14. Hoeing. — Though the garden is cultivated regularly and 
thoroughly with a wheel hoe, more or less hand hoeing is usually 
necessary to destroy weeds in the rows, and also to maintain a 
fine, loose soil over the entire garden area. It is desirable to have 
several types of hoes, if possible, such as a hilling hoe with a five- 
or six-inch blade, a two-pronged hoe with a narrow cutting blade, 
a hoe with a broad cutting blade and six or eight rake-like teeth, 
and a scuffle hoe. 

15. Weeding. — With small plants, such as onions, beets, 
radishes, lettuce, parsnips, and parsley, weeds often appear in the 
rows close to the plants where it is impossible to remove many 
of them with either the wheel hoe or a hand hoe. In this case we 
must use a small hand weeder — there are various types of hand 
weeders — and perhaps pull by hand some of the weeds which are 
difficult to remove with any tool. However, if the soil has been 
properly managed and the ground thoroughly cultivated, the labor 
of weeding will be very slight. 

1. What hand weeders do you think are most useful? 



308 



VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 



16. Thinning. — Vegetables like onions, radishes, lettuce, beets, 
and carrots generally require some thinning to prevent crowding 
and to give each plant the space it needs to attain full development. 
This operation should have attention as soon as possible after all 
the plants are up. The hand weeders may be used for this pur- 
pose, removing weeds at the same time. 

1. What should be the spacing of the vegetables that generally 
require thinning? 

17. Combating insects and diseases. — The home gardener 
should be constantly alert for enemies that may appear suddenly 

and cause great harm before 
their ravages are checked. He 
should be well informed regard- 
ing the nature of the various 
plant pests, and take precau- 
tionary measures as much as 
possible. Consult spray cal- 
endars. 

The back yard garden seems 
to be the rendezvous for insect 
pests. Accumulations of refuse, 
decaying board walks, humid 
hiding places, or untrimmed bushes, all provide conditions favor- 
able to hibernation or unarrested development of insect life. 
Control for these pests is difficult, owing to lack of proper spray- 
ing apparatus, but in some instances, as already pointed out, 
practices may be followed in the home garden which would be 
impracticable in larger plantings. Often a home-made apparatus 
will be satisfactory if only a few plants are considered, 
and here also dusting or proprietary commercial spray 
materials may be more usable than the standard sprays. 
Keeping rubbish from accumulating about the garden is one 




Fig. 78. — Wire worm. 



THE HOME GARDEN PROJECT 309 

of the most valuable preventatives of insect attacks in small 
plantings. 

The following pests are particularly troublesome in small 
gardens, and for convenience of the student are discussed under 
this caption : 

Cut-worms (various species) : Plants set in the field sometimes 
wilt or are entirely cut off at the surface of the ground. Upon 
removing the soil just at the base of the plant, a dirty -colored, 
naked caterpillar is found. This is a cut-worm, named from its 
usual habit and one of the most trouble- 
some pests of the garden. Cut-worms 
are the younger stages of moths which 
are active only at night. The adults 
are active in July and August, laying 
eggs in fields grown to weeds of any 
kind. Worms hatch from these eggs, 
and feed for a few weeks in the fall, 
then pass the winter in the soil. In 

, ^ . , . . - Fig. 79. — Millipede. 

the sprmg, they become active and re- 
sume feeding on the first green plants. The following methods 
of control are suggested : In large areas, free cultivation in 
summer, fall plowing, early spring cultivation, poison mash. 

White grubs : These larvse of the common June beetle are the 
large white grubs that are often found curled up in the ground 
at the base of a plant. The female deposits eggs in the old sod 
ground, preferably where the grubs can feed on the grass roots 
during the three or more years necessary to complete its life cycle. 
Consequently crops grown on newly plowed sod ground are most 
likely to be attacked. Crop rotation is a means of control. 

Wire worms : These insects work within the soil, feeding on 
newly sprouting seeds, or on root crops, or tubers. They are more 
troublesome in newly plowed sod land, owing probably to the fact 
that the larvse live in sod land during the three- to six-year life 




310 VEGETABLE GROWING PROJECTS 

cycle. Wire worms are long, hard-bodied, yellow or brownish 
larvae, the adults of which are the well-known snapping beetles. 
They may be controlled by crop rotation, and poison baits. 

Millipedes : Recently germinated corn and other seeds, and 
fruits, if resting on the ground, may be destroyed or spoiled by a 
rather long, round segmented animal, having two pairs of legs on 
all but the four front segments. No satisfactory method of con- 
trol is known. Trapping or dusting is sometimes effective. 

Slugs : Radishes, lettuce, cabbage, beans, and various root crops 
are often spoiled by a grayish spotted slug having on its body a slimy 
protective covering that adheres to the surface on which it travels. 
These pests appear to prefer moist locations especially, seeking 
hiding places beneath stones or decaying wood, away from strong 
sunlight. As the drying of the slimy coat will kill them, an 
application of air-slaked lime on and about the plants is suggested. 
Poison bait or poisoned tubers used as traps are efficient. 

Information on control of diseases of vegetables will be found 
in the various chapters in connection with the notes on " Com- 
bating Insects and Diseases." 

1. What causes plants to wilt and to be cut off at the ground? 

CL : 260. 

2. What is the life history and habit of a cut-worm ? CL : 260. 

3. Which is the best remedy, culture or trapping ? CL : 298. 

4. When are white grubs most injurious ? CL : 346. 

5. What is the life history of the white grub ? CL : 345-346. 

6. Can any crops be safely grown on infested land ? CL : 346. 

7. Can broods of the insect be anticipated ? CL : 347. 



THE HOME GARDEN PROJECT 311 

8. Give a control practice. ('L : 346-347. 

9. What is the life history of a wire worm ? CL : 347-348. 

10. Name several species and describe their work. CL : 348-350. 

11. How do wire worms work? CL : 347. 

12. Give several control measures. CL : 350. 

13. What is a good crop rotation ? CL : 350. 

14. How do millipedes differ from wire worms ? CL : 342, 347. 

15. Describe the work of millipedes. CL : 342, 344. 

16. How does a snail eat? What is its appearance? What is 

its life history ? CL : 354-355. 

17. Name several vegetables attacked by insects and describe 

the injury. Give several satisfactory remedies. 
CL: 356, 357. 

18. Harvesting the crop. — The highest quality in most vege- 
tables cannot be obtained unless the crops are harvested at the 
proper time. This is especially true of the root crops, peas, beans, 
tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, and sweet corn. 

1. What is the proper time to harvest each class of vegetables 
which you will grow in your home garden ? 

19. Storing the late crop. — The successful storage of late crops 
is an important part of the home gardening operations. A great 
diversity of methods may be employed. W : 197. 



HOME GARDEN 







Longevity 


Rows Apart 


Rows Apart 


Vegetables 


Seeds Required 


OF Seed 


Hand Culti- 


Horse Culti- 






Years 


vation 


vation 


Asparagus 


1 yr. old roots 


3-5 


42-48 in. 


42-48 in. 


Bean (snap) 


1 pt. — 100 ft. 


2-3 


18-24 in. 


24-36 in. 


Bean (dry shell) 


i-1 pt. — 100 ft. 


2-3 


20-24 in. 


24-36 in. 


Bean (pole) 


^ pt. — 100 ft. 


2-3 


, 36 in. 


36-48 in. 


Bean (bush lima) 


1 pt. — 100 ft. 


2 


18-30 in. 


30-36 in. 


Bean (pole lima) 


1 pt. — 150 ft. 


2 


30-36 in. 


36^8 in. 


Beet 


1 oz. — 75 ft. 


4-6 


12-18 in. 


24-28 in. 


Cabbage (early) 


1 oz. — 5,000 plants 


4-5 


20-28 in. 


24-30 in. 


Cabbage (late) 


1 oz. — 300 ft. 


4-5 


24-32 in. 


36-42 in. 


Cabbage (Chinese) 


1 oz. — 300 ft. 


4-5 


18-24 in. 


24-28 in. 


Carrot 


1 oz. — 400 ft. 


2-3 


12-18 in. 


24-28 in. 


Cauliflower 


1 oz. — 5,000 plants 


4-5 


24-30 in. 


36-42 in. 


Celery 


1 oz. — 8,000 plants 


3-5 


20-24 in. 


24-48 in. 


Chicory 


1 oz. — 300 ft. 


5-6 


12-18 in. 


24-28 in. 


Corn (sweet) 


1 pt. — 300 hills 


2 


30-36 in. 


36-42 in. 


Cucumber 


1 oz. — 50 hills 


5-10 


4- 5 ft. 


4- 5 ft. 


Eggplant 


1 oz. — 2,000 plants 


3-5 


24 in. 


30-36 in. 


Endive 


1 oz. — 400 ft. 


3-5 


14-18 in. 


24-28 in. 


Horseradish 


Root cuttings 




24-30 in. 


30-36 in. 


Kale 


1 oz. — 300 ft. 


4-5 


15-24 in. 


24-30 in. 


Kohlrabi 


1 oz. — 300 ft. 


4-5 


15-24 in. 


24-28 in. 


Leek 


1 oz. — 150 ft. 


1 


12-18 in. 


24-28 in. 


Lettuce 


1 oz. — 400 ft. 


3-5 


12-15 in. 


24-28 in. 


Muskmelon 


1 oz. — 50 hills 


5-10 


4- 5 ft. 


4- 5 ft. 


Onion (green) 


1 qt. sets — 40 ft. 




12-15 in. 


24-28 in. 


Onion (late) 


1 oz. seed — 100 ft. 


1 


12-15 in. 


24-28 in. 


Onion (for sets) 


1 oz. seed — 25 ft. 


1 


12-15 in. 


24-28 in. 


Parsley 


1 oz. — 200 ft. 


2-3 


12-18 in. 


24-28 in. 


Parsnip 


1 oz. — 200 ft. 


1 


15-18 in. 


24-28 in. 


Pea 


1 pt. to 1 qt. — 100 ft. 


2-3 


16-30 in. 


36-48 in. 


Pepper 


1 oz. — 1,500 plants 


2-3 


18-24 in. 


36-42 in. 


Potato (white) 


|pk.— lOOft., 15 bu. 
per acre 




24-28 in. 


36^2 in. 


Radish 


1 oz. — 100 ft. 


3-4 


6-14 in. 


24-28 in. 


Rhubarb 


Roots 




30 in. 


36-42 in. 


Rutabaga 


1 oz. — 200 ft. 


4-5 


15-20 in. 


24-28 in. 


Salsify 


1 oz. — 100 ft. 


2-3 


12-18 in. 


24-28 in. 


Spinach 


1 oz. — 100 ft. 


2-3 


12-15 in. 


24-28 in. 


Spinach (N. Zeal'd) 


1 oz. — 50 plants 




30-36 in. 


36-48 in. 


Squash (summer) 


1 oz. — 40 hills 


4-8 


3- 4 ft. 


3- 4 ft. 


Squash (winter 


1 oz. — 20 hills 


4-8 


8-10 ft. 


8-10 ft. 


Swiss chard 


1 oz. — 100 ft. 


4-6 


15-18 in. 


24-30 in. 


Tomato 


1 oz. — 3,000 plants 


4-5 


t30-36 in. 


36-48 in. 


Turnip 


1 oz. — 200 ft. 


4-5 


15-18 in. 


24-28 in. 


Watermelon 


1 oz. — 20 hills 


4-8 


8-10 ft. 


8-10 ft. 



* Planted in hills. 

t Trained to stakes ; without staking, 4 ft. apart each way. 

1 Very hardy : Not injured by hard freezing. 2 Hardy : Not injured by frosts. 

3 Tender: Killed by frosts. * Very tender: Injured by cool weather. 

312 



PLANTING TABLE 



Plants 


Depth of 








Apart in 


Planting 


Hardiness 


Date op Planting 


Time of 


Row 


Inches 






Maturity 


15-18 in. 


8-15 


Very hardy • 


April 


3-4 years 


2- 4 in. 


1-U 


Tender ^ 


May 10-July 25 


40- 65 days 


4- 5 in. 


1-U 


Tender 


June 1-June 25 


90-100 days 


*2- 3 ft. 


1-u 


Tender 


May 15-June 15 


50- 75 days 


3- 6 in. 


1-U 


Very tender * 


May 20- June 10 


60- 75 days 


*2- 3 ft. 


1-U 


Very tender 


May 20- June 1 


70-100 days 


3- 4 in. 


M 


Hardy 2 


April 15-July 10 


40- 70 days 


15-18 in. 


1 1 

4-2 


Hardy 


JFebruary 1-March 15 


70-120 days 


18-24 in. 


1 
2 


Hardy 


IMay 1-June 1 


90-130 days 


12 -15 in. 


1 

5 


Hardy 


July 1-August 1 


80- 100 days 


2- Sin. 


1 1 

4-? 


Hardy 


April 15-July 10 


55- 90 days 


18-24 in. 


1 1 
i~2 


Hardy 


UMay 15- 


90-130 days 


4- 6 in. 


1 
8 


Not hardy — 
young 


JMarch 1 ; IfLate, April 20 


130-180 days 


3- 4 in. 


1 
4 


Hardy 


June 1-15 


120-130 days 


*24-30 in. 


1-2 


Tender 


May 1-July 1 


70-100 days 


*2- 4 ft. 


^-1 


Tender 


May 20-June 1 


60- 80 days 


16-24 in. 


1 1 

4 2 


Very tender 


t§March 15 


100-150 days 


8-10 in. 


1 
4 


Hardy 


June 1-August 1 


45- 90 days 


12-15 in. 




Very nardy 


April 15-May 20 


180 days 


6- 8 in. 


1 
2 


Hardy 


April 15-August 1 


50- 75 days 


6- 8 in. 


1 
2 


Hardy 


April 15 and August 1 


60- 75 days 


3- 5 in. 


i 

2 


Hardy 


IfApril 15- 


130-180 days 


8-10 in. 


1 

4 


Hardy 


April 15 and August 1 


45-100 days 


*4- 5 ft. 


M 


^ Very tender 


May 20 


90-120 days 


1 in. 




Hardy 


April 15 


30- 40 days 


1 in. 


1 

2 


Hardy 


April 15 


130-150 days 


Crowded 


i 


Hardy 


April 15 


90-100 days 


4- 6 in. 


i 


Hardy 


April 15 


60- 90 days 


3- 4 in. 


1 1 

4 2 


Very hardy 


April 15 


120-180 days 


h in. 


1-2 


Hardy 


April 15-May 20 


50- 80 days 


12-15 in. 


4 2 


Very tender 


J§March 15 


100-150 days 


10-14 in. 


3-4 


Half hardy 


April 15-June 1 


80-130 days 


1- 2 in. 


1 

2 


Hardy 


April 15-June 1 


22- 40 days 


24-30 in. 




Very hardy 


April 


1 year 


4- 5 in. 


1 
2 


Hardy 


July 1 


100-120 days 


2- 3 in. 


1 


Very hardy 


April 15 


140-150 days 


4- 6 in. 


1 
2 


Hardy 


AprU 15-May 15 & Aug. 1-10 


40- 60 days 


12-18 in. 


1 


Half hardy 


April 15 


60- 80 days 


*3- 4 ft. 


1 


Tender 


May 20 


60- 80 days 


*8-10 ft. 


1 


Tender 


May 20 


90-1 10 days 


5- 6 in. 


^-1 


Hardy 


April 15 


50- 60 days 


tl8-24 in. 


1 
2 


Tender 


JMarch 1-April 1 


100-160 days 


3- 4 in. 


1 
2 


Hardy 


April 15 and August 1-15 


60- 90 days 


8-10 ft. 


1 


Very tender 


June 1 


100-120 days 



Jin hotbed or greenhouse. Transplanted to perraanent place : § June 1. ^ July 1. 
Prepared by John R. Bechtel. 
Published in Extension Circular No. 76 of The Pennsylvania State College. 



313 



INDEX 



Accounts, xiii 
Artichoke, Jerusalem, 267 
Artichoke, Globe, 267 
Asparagus, 267 

Why grow asparagus, 269 

Selecting location, 269 

Selecting varieties, 270 

Starting the plants. 270 

Preparing the soil, 271 

Planting, 272 

Cultivating, 274 

Combating insects and diseases, 275 

Maintaining fertility, 276 

Harvesting and marketing, 277 

B 

Beans, 247 

Why grow beans, 248 

Selecting location, 249 

Classifying and selecting varieties, 

249 
Obtaining seed, 251 
Preparing soil, 251 
Planting field beans, 253 
Planting dwarf, snap, and green shell 

beans, 254 
Planting pole beans, 255 
Planting Uma beans, 256 
Cultivating, 256 

Combating insects and diseases, 257 
Harvesting and marketing, 259 
Broccoli, 88 
Brussels sprouts, 88 
Bulb crops projects, 228 
Bulletins and other references, xix 



Cabbage, 88 

Why grow cabbage, 90 
Selecting location, 90 
Choosing varieties, 91 
Obtaining seed, 92 



Constructing the hotbed, 94 
Constructing the cold frame, 94 
Making plant boxes, 94 
Making straw mats, 94 
Sowing for the early crop, 94 
Caring for the seedlings, 96 
Transplanting, 97 
Hardening the plants, 98 
Growing late plants, 98 
Preparing the garden soil, 99 
Planting in the garden, 101 
Companion cropping, 102 
Cultivating, 103 

Combating insects and diseases, 103 
Harvesting and marketing, 108 
Storing the late crop, 109 
Cauliflower, 110 

Importance of crop, 112 
Selecting location, 112 
Choosing varieties, 113 
Obtaining seed, 113 
Starting plants, 114 
Preparing soil, 115 
Planting in the garden, 115 
Companion cropping, 115 
Cultivating, 116 
Protecting heads, 116 
Combating insects and diseases, 116 
Harvesting and marketing, 116 
Celery, 118 

Why grow celery, 120 
Selecting location, 121 
Choosing varieties, 123 
Obtaining seed, 124 
Constructing the hotbed, 125 
Constructing the cold frame, 125 
Making plant boxes, 126 
Making straw mats, 126 
Sowing for the early crop, 126 
Caring for the seedlings, 127 
Growing late plants, 128 
Preparing the soil, 128 
Planting in the garden, 130 
Companion cropping, 131 
Irrigating the crop, 132 

315 



316 



INDEX 



Cultivating, 132 

Mulching, 133 

Blanching, 133 

Combating insects and diseases, 135 

Harvesting and marketing, 137 

Storing the late crop, 138 
Cive, 228 

Cole crops projects, 88 
CoUard, 88 
Corn salad, 118 
Corn, sweet, 283 
Cress, 118 
Cucumbers, 151 

Will cucumbers pay, 153 

Selecting location, 154 

Choosing varieties, 154 

Obtaining seed, 155 

Starting early plants, 156 

Preparing the soil, 157 

Transplanting into the garden, 159 

Planting seed in the garden, 160 

Companion cropping, 161 

Cultivating, 161 

Combating insects and diseases, 161 

Harvesting and marketing, 163 

Forcing, 164 



D 



Demonstrations, xiv 



E 



Early plants, where to grow, xv 
Eggplant, 77 

Importance of crop, 78 

Selecting location, 79 

Choosing varieties, 79 

Starting plants, 80 

Preparing soil, 80 

Planting in the garden, 82 

Combating insects, 82 

Marketing, 83 
Endive, 118 
Exhibits, xiv 

G 

Garden, the home, 294 
Garlic, 228 

H 

Home garden project, 293 
How to use this book, xv 



Inspection trips, xiv 



Judging vegetables, xiv 



Laboratory exercises, 2-35 
Leek, 228 
Lettuce, 140 

Why grow lettuce, 141 

Selecting location, 142 

Choosing varieties, 143 

Obtaining seed, 144 

Constructing the hotbed, 144 

Constructing the cold frame, 144 

Making plant boxes, 145 

Making straw mats, 145 

Starting early plants, 145 

Preparing the soil, 146 

Planting in the garden, 146 

Sowing in the garden, 148 

Companion cropping, 148 

Irrigating, 149 

Cultivating, 149 

Combating insects and diseases, 149 

Harvesting and marketing, 150 

Forcing, 150 

M 

Making the home garden, 293 
Why have a home garden, 294 
Selecting location, 294 
When to plant, 295 
What to plant, 296 
How much to plant, 297 
Making garden plans, 300 
Obtaining seed, 303 
Making germination tests, 303 
Starting early plants, 304 
Selecting tools, 305 
Preparing the soil, 305 
Planting, 305 
Cultivating, 307 
Hoeing, 307 
Weeding, 307 
Thinning, 308 

Combating insects and diseases, 308 
Harvesting the crops, 311 
Storing the late crops, 311 



INDEX 



317 



Martynia, 283 
Muskmelon, 164 

Will muskmelons pay, 166 

Selecting location, 166 

Choosing varieties, 167 

Obtaining seed, 168 

Starting early plants, 168 

Preparing the soil, 168 

Transplanting into the garden, 168 

Planting seed in the garden, 168 

Companion cropping, 168 

Cultivating, 168 

Combating insects and diseases, 169 

Harvesting and marketing, 169 



O 



Okra, 283 
Onion, 228 

Why grow onions, 230 

Selecting location, 231 

Choosing varieties, 232 

Obtaining seed and sets, 234 

Starting plants under glass, 234 

Preparing the soil, 235 

Planting sets, 237 

Sowing in the field, 238 

Transplanting hotbed-grown plants, 
239 

Cultivating, 240 

Weeding, 241 

Thinning, 241 

Irrigating, 241 

Combating insects and diseases, 241 

Harvesting mature bulbs, 244 

Storing, 245 

Marketing, 246 



Parsley, 118 
Peas, 259 

W^hy grow peas, 260 

Selecting location, 261 

Classifying and selecting varieties, 261 

Obtaining seed, 262 

Preparing the soil, 262 

Planting, 263 • 

Companion cropping, 264 

Cultivating, 264 

Supporting the \'ines, 264 

Harvesting and marketing, 266 
Peppers, 83 



Perennial vegetable projects, 267 
Planting table, 312-313 
Potatoes, 200 

Why grow potatoes, 202 
Selecting location, 203 
Choosing varieties, 206 
Obtaining seed, 206 
Preparing the soil, 207 
When to plant, 209 
Cutting the tubers, 210 
Planting, 211 
Cultivating, 212 

Combating insects and diseases, 213 
Harvesting, 219 
Storing and marketing, 220 
Potatoes, sweet, 220 

Why grow sweet potatoes, 222 
Selecting location, 222 
Choosing varieties, 223 
Obtaining seed, 223 
Starting plants, 224 
Preparing the soil, 224 
Planting, 225 
Cultivating, 226 
Harvesting, 226 
Storing and marketing, 227 
Principles as well as practice, xiii 
Program of work, xi 
Project outUne, xiii 
Pulse crops projects, 247 
Pumpkin, 174 

R 



Records, xiii 
Reference key, svii 
Reports, xiii 
Rhubarb, 278 

Why grow rhubarb, 279 

Selecting location, 279 

Selecting variety, 279 

Preparing the soil, 280 

Planting, 280 

Cultivating, 280 

Maintaining fertility, 280 

Forcing, 281 

Harvesting and marketing, 282 
Root crops projects, 180 



Salad crops projects, 118 
Selection of projects, xi 
Shallot, 228 



318 



INDEX 



Solanaceous crops projects, 37 
Special explanation, xv 
Squash, 173 

Will squashes pay, 176 

Selecting location, 176 

Choosing varieties, 176 

Obtaining seed, 176 

Starting plants, 176 

Preparing the soil, 176 

Transplanting into the garden, 177 

Planting seed in the garden, 178 

Cultivating, 178 

Combating insects and diseases, 178 

Harvesting and marketing, 178 
Sweet corn, 283 

Why grow sweet corn, 285 

Selecting location, 286 

Choosing varieties, 286 

Preparing the soil, 287 

Planting, 288 

Starting early plants, 289 

Cultivating, 289 

Suckering, 289 

Harvesting and marketing, 291 

Combating insects, 290 



Tomatoes, 37 

Why grow tomatoes, 39 
Selecting location, 40 
Choosing varieties, 41 
Obtaining seed, 43 
Constructing the hotbed, 44 



Constructing the cold frame, 46 
Making plant boxes, 48 
Making straw mats, 50 
Sowing seed, 51 
Caring for the seedlings, 54 
Making paper pots, 58 
Transplanting, 59 
Hardening the plants, 63 
Preparing the garden soil, 63 
Planting in the garden, 66 
Planting with other vegetables, 67 
Cultivating, 68 
Training the plants, 70 
Combating insects and diseases, 71 
Harvesting and marketing, 75 
Tuber crops projects, 200 



Vine crops projects, 151 

W 

"Watermelons, 170 

Will watermelons pay, 171 

Selecting location, 171 

Choosing varieties, 171 

Obtaining seed, 172 

Starting plants, 172 

Preparing the soil, 172 

Transplanting into the garden, 173 

Planting seed in the garden, 173 

Cultivating 173 

Combating insects and diseases, 173 

Harvesting and marketing, 173 



